StoryOfStuff.com Your Thoughts ?

[Nifty]

I just watched the 20 minute video at http://www.storyofstuff.com and I'd like to start a friendly discussion on the topic since I think it is very in sync with the discussions on this site.

I'll hold off on my thoughts until a few of you post yours.

 

[roosmom]

Well, I think this will have to wait until tomorrow when I am at work with a faster connection to the net. I downloaded, then waited for the buffering to get done......pressed play and it started, she talked then stopped, she talked some more than stopped etc, etc.
It does look like something I would be interested in. Without even watching more than the 5 minutes I could get, I would have to say, thank god I am poor. I cannot afford STUFF. Never have been able to. Would my life change if I had more money? hmmmm, I would not really want it to in the STUFF category, But it would. I would try to make sure I didnt accumulate things that I dont really need and to me a lot of this STUFF is not needed. It would probably sneak up on me, sad to say.
Just Friday I was talking to a girlfriend on the topic of palm pilots and blackberries. She has the money to get this STUFF, gets it and then.....It ends up in a drawer, in the closet or in the bottom of her purse. When I asked her why, she told me that because so and so has one and so does blah blah. How sad.
This is just my thoughts.....before I have even watched the whole thing. LOL I will have to watch it tomorrow.

 

[enjoy the ride]

I'm afraid I have a slow dial up connection and can't watch videos at all. I'll have to wait for the book to come out.

 

[Henrietta23]

I was able to watch it but jumped around through the sections a bit. I will be going back to click on the site for more info. I really like how it is presented. It's informative without feeling like I'm being spoken down to. In fact I'm feeling like it should be shown in schools all over the country! I can see that a lot of the changes I've been making within my household fit into these ideas. But I can also see that society in general still doesn't get it over all. I'm planning on spending a lot more time on it. I'm forwarding it to my husband at school (he teaches tech. ed. in a jr/high school. It has the feel of being aimed at the average American. I'm looking forward to hearing what others have to say after they're able to watch it!
Thanks Nifty!

 

[patandchickens]

I'm on dialup too -- watching videos is just not feasible. Sorry, usually I would be happy to discuss

Pat

 

[Henrietta23]

Maybe next time you're at the library? But my gut is we're not the one who really need to watch it, ya know?

 

[reinbeau]

Rob, I'm all for sustainability, but I just couldn't listen to that preaching. I know what the issues are - I want to focus on the solutions. Perhaps she got to it somewhere along the line, I just couldn't wade through it to hear them. Sorry. :|

 

[dacjohns]

I watched it and was making comments while I watched it. Somehow when I went to spell check my post disappeared.

What I can remember.
I'm not sure about her statistics.
She is associated with some very biased organizations therefore I tend to think she is biased.

She does make some very points even after disregarding her statistics and obvious bias.

Most of it I have heard before but is good to get a reminder.

Obsolescence is one of my big gripes. It should not be cheaper to replace something than it is to repair it.
Packaging waste is another gripe.

Consumption versus use. We don't use, we consume, literally.

 

[Nifty]

Ok, my 2 cents:

I think the intentions are good, but the delivery had too many scare tactics and misinformation.

There were a lot of generalizations that were applied globally to everyone. I also question a lot of the statistics.

I guess if that is the type of video that it takes to convince the other 90% of people in the US (people different from those on this forum) to change their ways regarding complete consumerism, "keeping up with the Jones's" and being more mindful of what we use and what we toss, then so be it.

Honestly, I look at how much garbage our family of 4 tosses and it really bothers me. I try to recycle and compost as much as possible but there is still a lot of "trash" left over. I can't even begin to think about the other people and companies (big to small / mom-pop) who couldn't care less.

And, if I want to be even more honest: When people are in the middle of economic hardship and trying to save money... very few are going to go to "Big Box Mart" and demand higher prices in exchange for better wages for the employees and a more earth friendly manufacturing process. At the end of the day we really do vote with our dollars, and a lot of people (myself included) aren't willing to make such drastic changes in lifestyle and comfort.

Yeah, my spirit is willing to save the planet and make the world a better place for all, but the flesh is weak and wants my heavily plastic packaged, purchase on-sale, slices of pre-cooked bacon to be heated up in my $30 microwave RIGHT NOW!

Again, I think there were a lot of scare tactics and misinformation throughout the video and it kinda left a little bit of a sour taste in my mouth. I'd like to see a less "here is your brain on drugs" approach with a program that has the hard facts and realities in a way that people will accept it and change instead of dismissing it as propaganda.

 

[poppycat]

I'm all for buying less stuff. But honestly I just don't have the bandwidth for this kind of video right now. I just got home from working my tail off all day (earning money to feed my kids, NOT go to the mall,) and I really don't need a guilt trip about what a mindless consumer I am.

Nor am I a big fan of trying to scare people into socialism.

Maybe I'll have something more constructive to say tomorrow.