Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Thoughts on Freeganism?


I like the concept, but I don't see much to forage in my local dumpsters.

18 comments:

Ogg the Caveman said...

I've been mostly reacting to this on a practical level, but something about the philosophy that I was unable to put my finger on was bothering me. I finally figured out what it is.

To the extent that freegans are more comfortable with themselves if they participate less in the economy, itsallgood. But the minute that they start arguing that it's immoral or unethical for someone to participate more than they do, they become the worst kind of hypocrites. Why? Because their entire lifestyle depends on other people taking part in the system they despise. To depend on other people to feed you and then condemn them for the manner in which they do it is dishonorable, pure and simple.

What's particularly ironic is that Freeganism appears to be mainly an urban movement. When it comes to food, large cities are nearly pure consumers. You can't have a city like New York unless large-scale agriculture somewhere else, plus a good transportation system to get food to the city. That's a lot of dependence on the overall economy.

I have no problem with people living the freegan lifestyle, provided that I'm not asked to bail them out when they need things like medical care. I *do* have a problem with hypocrites though. If the freegans who preach about the evils of participating in the economy had any integrity, they would get out of the city and set up a self-sufficient agricultural community. Like every hippie who ever helped start a commune, they'd probably find that it involved a lot of hard work and a lot of uncertainty.

But at least it would be honest.

Anonymous said...

IR1. The ideas may not be completely in line, but the result is the same. I refuse to participate in an economy that is based upon screwing me over.

I understand ogg's point also. The way I rectify this in my mind is simple. People have made this economy and world the way it is without any consideration for how I feel. Had I the power I would change the way things are done. Since things are the way they are with or without me I try to go through life leaving as small a footprint as possible.

I know that as a result of the immorality of others that I enjoy better living conditions than most, but like I say, if it were up to me everyone would have a better standard of living than any of us currently have. Ogg, you can't blame people for trying to get through life in the environment into which they were thrust, can you? Power to the people!

Ogg the Caveman said...

Ogg, you can't blame people for trying to get through life in the environment into which they were thrust, can you?

No. I don't particularly have a problem with parasites. What I have a problem with is people who are assholes about being parasites. People who say that those who produce their food are immoral for doing so are definitely assholes.

Although the author goes farther than I care to in some of her criticisms, I found myself nodding along with much of this article. The most disturbing part, if true, is bit about freegans competing for resources with the involuntarily poor. I suspect that in most areas there's plenty of waste to go around, but people who dumpster-dive in areas with a large homeless population ought to be wary of their impact.

Mitchell said...

I first read that as a call for "Thoughts on Fregeanism", and I thought, "Philosophy of logic, cool!"

Mindless geek humor may be experienced by finding a discussion of freegans and reading it as about fregeans, or vice versa. Or just by imagining the biography of the little-known ethico-logician Gottlob Freegan, who must have been like Rudolf Steiner, only more so.

Anonymous said...

Ogg, In these days of corporate fascism, illegal immigration, and farm subsidies, it could be argued that the wholesale producers of food are the parasites. The maggots, having separated the people from the land, went about enslaving them as well. We subsidize rich farmers in this country, and they poison us daily.

Anonymous said...

I should have read a little further. I don't dumpster dive, unless I see something I want sticking out. Never for food.

I eat meat, eggs, and dairy.

I originally thought the article was about being frugal, which I am.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and lest anyone think that farmers care, just wait. If they can get $10 a bushel for cattle feed corn, or $25 a bushel for Al Gore's ethanol drivel Expedition, it will take them about two seconds to make up their minds. This, after years of subsidies.

Akubi said...

While the freegans seem somewhat extreme I think there are certain worthwhile elements of their philosophy. People can be assholes about just about anything whether it be freeganism, veganism or Fregeanism (as I recall, Frege was influence on Wittgenstein wasn't he?), but I don't think that negates the value of everything they believe in. It's appalling how much waste we produce. For example, have you ever worked in a restaurant and seen how much food is thrown away? Why do so few people ask for doggy bags? When I go out to eat, I generally take home enough leftovers for at least two other meals. As far as dumpster diving for food - when I lived near a bagel shop they would dump all the bagels they hadn’t sold at the end of the day and I had the timing down so that I’d collect them before they sat out for long. They were perfectly fine bagels in tightly wrapped bags.
@Ogg,
That article was a good find. If the freegans are going to soup kitchens, that’s pathetic. Around here the poor go to soup kitchens and the only ones I see going through trash are mentally ill so I don’t think dumpster divers are competing for their resources, but I’m sure that varies by location. There seems to be plenty of waste to go around.

Anonymous said...

The last bag of potatoes I bought, I ate every one. How many people can say that?

wagga said...

All I can throw into this conversation is that several neighbors overwater their lawns, creating a bumper crop of mushrooms.

And I often go for a walk at O:30 dark.

Akubi said...

@Edgar,
In these days of corporate fascism, illegal immigration, and farm subsidies, it could be argued that the wholesale producers of food are the parasites.
On the way home from work I had an interesting chat with an illegal who you might actually agree with (for the most part). As I’ve mentioned here or on EN or elsewhere, the majority of bus riders around here are Latino illegals. Generally there isn’t much conversation at the bus stops (language divide and such) so while waiting for the bus I was taken aback when this guy next to me said “It sure looks like we’re heading for recession in 2008.” The rain was coming down pretty hard and he had a fairly heavy accent so I thought he was asking about the #58 bus until he repeated and went on about the cost of oil and the corn-based ethanol boondoggle as well as Nigeria, China, Iraq and the mortgage meltdown. Essentially, he felt the U.S. was heading down the toilet and moving back to Mexico was looking pretty good, but was concerned about the overall situation and felt solar energy was underutilized and the U.S. should have invested more in that one. Normally, I just read at the bus stop and prefer not to chat much, but he was quite interesting because he managed to break through some assumed stereotypes I have. Although it can be a pain in the ass when one has to walk nearly a mile in a storm, random encounters like the one I had this evening make me appreciate public transit. People in isolated cars miss out on that sort of thing.

@Wagga,
What kind of mushrooms are they?

Anonymous said...

@akubi,

Wow, just wow. The man on the street not only knows what is going on, but he would be a better citizen &/or president than what one we have now. I am impressed, maybe there is hope, he sounds like a real smart cookie.

Anonymous said...

Happy Friday akubi!

BTW, I scavenge for stuff all the time. Pears, peaches, apples, pecans, whatever. I also watch for sales. A lot of stuff at sales is one step from the dumpster.

NotAnOptimist said...

Akubi, hope you're doing okay what with the crazy winds and storm.

On Freeganism:
I'm with Ogg on this one. I find it extremely bizarre that an anti-consumerism movement is based off consumerism; that is, without excess consumerism, this philosophy would not, could not, exist. But maybe I just don't understand.

Akubi said...

@NotAnOptimist,
Yeah, the weather has been really bad here and we've had hurricane strength winds that blew over part of my fence and smashed the plants under it. My garden looks like a disaster zone. All bus service was suspended, the Richmond-San Rafael bridge was closed as was highway 101. It's a mess. I'm glad I called in sick today or I would have been really screwed.

NotAnOptimist said...

@Akubi
Yikes, I too am glad you called in sick. I'm also glad I left on the 2nd (I was in SF for Xmas/New Year's) and sure hope my bro can fly out to LA this Sunday.

Anonymous said...

Edgar sed

"The last bag of potatoes I bought, I ate every one. How many people can say that?"

LOL hey Edgar the last time i was at the bar the stripper gave me a lapdance i sucked both her nipples dry gosh i love lesbian female strippers.

hey edgar those potatoes you ate they were picked by illegals probably from south america or mexico. Hey edgar how can you honestly say that you are not a biggot or biggot in hiding. i know you are really smart but every time i here a hint of biggot in your statements you retract and say oh thats not me. listen edgar America is made up of illegals. we are all foreigners except for some of those biggot blogger buddies of yours who claim they are viking of Nordic descent, lol oh man i'm still on the floor laughing.

the "gubbermint" chooses who gets papers or ids and i tell you from my viewpoint from what i see or have done that if those illegals were given citizenship status not only would they pay taxes, since they would get a social security number, they would qualify for insurance and hence the free hands out dissolve. so please Edgar use that brain of yours and stop blaming the illegals.

Another thing Edgar when your in chicago email me i will pay for good spanish or Latin female lapdances. that should take the semi biggot out of you lol

Paul said...

This won't have effect in fact, that's exactly what I believe.
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