On Dumpster Diving Critique - Essay Example

Eighner’s article highlights the idea of consumerism by painting a picture of the lives of dumpster divers and the type of materials found in the dumpsters. Based on this article, consumerism can be defined as acquiring more than what you need, and discarding what is less important. Eighner’s article shows how dumpsters are filled with good items, ranging from food to electronic devices. On one hand, consumption as an American value helps to keep the economy growing by increasing the demand for goods and services. This however thus encourages a person to shop excessively and throw away what they feel is not good or what they don’t need. In the end, this contributes to wastage. For example, in the article, Eighner states that college students would throw away good items at the end of a semester even when such items could have lasted until the start of the new semester.

It is also clear that the consumption culture in America encourages people to focus on their wants and luxuries- things they do not need. The culture of consumerism can affect the economy greatly since it encourages the waste of resources. Eighner’s article also brings to light the kind of foods people buy. In this article, he notes that rarely does he find fresh foods in the dumpster but instead finds food such as yoghurt, and chocolates among others. This shows that consumerism is a culture that encourages people to engage n unhealthy consumption habits where little consideration is given to the quality of foods eaten. This can further be extended to other items as well, such as electronic devices and clothing. The fact that people are interested in satisfying their demands, little attention to given to the nature of these products and the harm they cause to the consumer and the environment. Read More