Nicollette Clark
Dr. Finger
English 201A
11 December 2014
Disposable America
Our Nation must be freed from this materialistic chokehold. We live in a world where corporations and individuals will do whatever it takes to lead us into a life of rampant consumerism. Businesses that once served their purpose of bringing economic growth and jobs to our communities, now stand as colossal giants with more money than entire nations. The United States of America-- a country recognized and celebrated for it’s diversity-- has lost sight of the importance of traditions, and trades, that have been passed on for generations. We are so lost in this disposable way of life that we sacrifice beauty for things like paper napkins and particle board. Not only…show more content… In the Article “Built to Trash,” Sharon Bloyd-Peshkin reflects on the evolution of American consumerism. Bloyd-Peshkin shares that growing up she felt as if she was “straddling two worlds”. Being born to parents who lived through the depression era, she was raised in a home where everything that was broken was repaired, and the things they owned were made strong-- even if some of these items were imported. Bloyd-Peskin then transitions into the world where she raised her children. A world where she watched her children be “the first and last owners of.. an endless supply of plastic toys and particle-board furniture”(Bloyd-Peshkin), all while her parents continued to sleep under handmade quilts, and sit at desks that were passed down for…show more content… He was sitting in the patio area of a bakery with a couple of bags, his juggling sticks, and bike. I went down the street to buy each of us some lunch, and came back to join him. I had planned to tell him about the research I was doing on consumerism and obtain some insight on what downtown is like with shoppers around the holidays. I asked John about his juggling and then we began to talk about his bike. I asked him “Where did you get your bike?” he became really animated and replied “ Well you see I got the frame at the Goodwill here in San Luis, you know I got a really good frame. Then I went over to Art’s Cyclery (a local bike shop) and bought the parts I needed to fix it. Put together it gave me something real strong, a lot stronger than that cheap stuff you can get at those places like uhh Wal-Mart”(John). I then asked him the questions I had planned, but everything we talked about related to war or becoming a pilot, so I decided to just continue to listen to his story. Thinking about John rebuilding his bike I’m fascinated. Here is someone who is part of the most impoverished in our county, and he understands the importance of local business and quality over quantity. John and his bike combat the argument that disposable products are made for those who can’t afford quality reusable items. John