Lars Eighner explains the importance of dumpster diving and how to do it. Eighner uses his own experiences to show contrasts and illustrate irony. Eighner uses his personal experiences to demonstrate how he used class as a means to attack consumerism and materialism in modern society. He starts by defining “dumpster dive” and draws parallels to scavenging for survival. Further, he describes the technical difficulty of dumpster-diving and gives hints on what makes a scavenger. He summarized the stages involved in dumpster diving before concluding with a reference to consumer culture. Lar Eigner’s essay “On Dumpster-Diving” makes students question social norms.
Eighner’s point of view is a reflection of the consumer society. He shows his disdain for the people who throw away edible food. Eighner’s personal experience has led him to believe that there are benefits in scavenging food from dumpsters and finding it. He claimed that “a great deal of food that is perfectly edible can be found in dumpsters.” So, he explains how he finds the food and demonstrates that he can eat the food if it’s safe. Author also claims that college students only throw food in dumpsters because it’s their habit. He states that the item may have been thrown out due to carelessness, indifference, or wastefulness. Eighner does not compare college students to consumerism to belittle them but to illustrate the trait that many people share when they are asked about how much food is wasted. Eighner has the opportunity to be creative in his opinions while still being true to his original idea. In addition, this assertion could be taken as an allusion to Eighner and his perception by others. As with schoolchildren, the society is unaware of certain individuals’ stories. Eighner wants to instill that dumpster-diving is part of what a consumerist society does and holding goods only one aspect. Eighner wishes to make readers aware that the rarity of an item does not affect its value. What is truly valuable, then? The lack of a definition for what was truly valuable led to the rise of materialism. Eighner is of the opinion that there is “no abstract value”. This idea explains why Eighner does not believe in material objects, because mental thoughts last longer. Eighner understands that scavenging and self-reliance are similar. To survive, one must be self-sufficient. Eighner uses the comparison between the working-class and the idea that competition will always make you want more. Eighner says, “between us there are millions of rat-race consumers who have confused themselves with the things they hold.” Eichner’s analysis of society shows this reality. He feels that life is built around the idea of wanting more. Eighner draws irony from the fact that the rich still compete in a race when they have plenty of money. Dumpster divers and others would only see irony in that they are the ones responsible for their own misfortune. These examples demonstrate the impact that inanimate objects have on us and our perceptions.
Eighner ends by giving an overview of consumer culture and its influence on society. He wants to show that the problem isn’t the dumpster-divers or scavengers, but the perception of them. This essay, which is a personal one, will help the reader understand their own material values.
