Wasteful tendencies of society unsustainable
It seems like everyone disagrees with our massive consumption of cheap foreign products. As individuals, we may be upset at the unpatriotic nature of our shopping, but we also like to scour the stores for the best deals.
For college students and employed professionals alike, it seems like no one in the U.S. is a stranger to debt. But nearly everyone willfully takes on debt to support some kind of ideal lifestyle, likely involving a house, two cars and new clothing for each 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒.
Relatively new on the musical scene, Macklemore has made it far this year, probably because his songs have an actual message, whether it鈥檚 peace and love, equality for all or not getting tricked by big business like in 鈥淭hrift Shop.鈥� His lyrics about the stupidity of needing labels to get girls, go: 鈥淟imited edition, let鈥檚 do some simple addition, $50 for a t-shirt, that鈥檚 just some ignorant b—- s—-, I call that getting swindled and pimped … I call that getting tricked by business.鈥�
It鈥檚 not hard to get sucked into thinking the newest thing is the best. That just means the advertisers are doing their job well. Apple鈥檚 iPhone 5 is only slightly different from predecessors, yet people are discarding perfectly functioning models and paying exorbitant fees to say they have the newest version.
Aldous Huxley鈥檚 dystopic novel 鈥淏rave New World鈥� is a literary classic similar to 鈥淭hrift Shop.鈥� It delves into a society that ingrains into their children鈥檚 minds mantras like 鈥淓nding is better than mending. The more stitches, the less riches,鈥� meaning clothes should be thrown out, not fixed. Children were raised without any useful knowledge of how to fix things, but instead taught to take Soma, a mood-altering medicine that makes everything better.
Science fiction is scary because it takes cues from reality. If someone from Generation X鈥檚 clothing ripped they鈥檇 be more inclined to replace it than to pick up a needle and thread. When we aren鈥檛 feeling well, there鈥檚 always Xanax, Oxycodone or MDMA.
There is no dignity in wastefulness, but we鈥檙e taught it鈥檚 acceptable 鈥� that the trash is ours to fill barges with and send off to the sea. People who choose to sew their own clothing or buy second hand are labeled 鈥渉ipsters鈥� when in the past it would鈥檝e been common. Being resourceful and conscientious is now considered an anomaly.
鈥淭hrift Shop鈥� is more than a catchy tune 鈥� It鈥檚 a call to arms to save us from our wastefulness. We鈥檝e grown up surrounded by recycling bins and claims that 鈥渢he children are our future; save it for them.鈥� But the children are old enough now to know better and need to take action for themselves.