Monday, August 10, 2009

Clunking Insanity


My parents grew up in the Great Depression, and told us kids stories about how they had to scrimp and save to get by. General Mills would print dress patterns on flour sacks, which Grandma sewed into clothing for the girls after the flour was used in making food. Grandpa would save tires that were beyond repair, and cut out new soles for shoes, because they couldn't afford to buy new shoes just because a sole was worn out. I saw firsthand how my mother had learned those lessons, raising eight children on Dad's paycheck. We marinated in the idea that you just don't throw away something that still has any use in it.

Just yesterday, The Bride of Monster and I dropped by a new thrift store in our area, picked up some bargains, and helped out some good causes. We've always shopped that way. I bought my first computer modem from a second-hand shop. I've bought a lot of books, as well as some computer software, from Half Price Books. Between the two of us, we've only bought one brand-new car (and that was a subcompact). The rest have been used. We're probably fairly normal in that respect.

Watching what might be the only automobiles that some folks can afford to buy, instead be taken off the market and destroyed, just offends my sensibilities. How can destroying things that still work be a good thing?

4 comments:

  1. That video rocks.

    The whole notion of destroying things that might be available to other people of lower socioeconomic status just sounds like more crisis engineering. Something Libs are good at.

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  2. According to the liberal ideals, these cars are EVIL and must be destroyed "for the greater good/children/saving the planet"

    It is amazing how Congress has no shame or qualms about spending our cash on any stupid idea that they have and then, when it turns out to be dumber than a screen door on a sub, they will shrug their shoulders and then throw more money at it as if that will make it work better somehouw.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Heh. Just thought of a possible meme based on an old video game (which I had to look up after seeing the original meme a few weeks ago. If you don't know it, google (The Cake Is A Lie"):

    The Clunkers Cake Is A Lie!
    The Health Reform Cake Is A Lie!

    And so on...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have yet to understand how, with the economy in the toilet, unemployment touching double digits, and the Fed's exponential growing of both the national debt and speed-printing-inflation (sure to cause yet more jobs-lost), enticing people to put themselves deeper into personal debt is supposed to help.

    Monster - I'm with you - all of my jeans and a couple of jacket came from thrift stores - remember your mom 'turning the collars'? - just did that the other day.

    - MD

    ReplyDelete

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