"On Dumpster Diving" by Lars Eighner
Message Prompt

Lars Eighner learns several different lessons from his experience in dumpster diving. One, for example, is that he learns to take absolutely nothing for granted. In fact, Eighner gains plenty of weight while dumpster diving because he eats everything he finds so nothing goes to waste. Similar to this, he also collects junk he does not need just because he hates to see anything wasted. Another lesson he learns is to be courteous to others. Eighner hates the people he calls "can scroungers" because they dig to the bottom of the dumpster, covering up good food that others could benefit from. Eighner believes that if he finds something good that he is not using, he should leave it out in plain sight for others to find. He is helping himself, all while looking out for others. Finally, Eighner learns he does not need material things in order to find happiness in life. Before he dumpster dived, he used to invest material objects with sentimental value. However, now he is without the material objects, and he still finds value in life. He does not need a television in order to be content.

Through these lessons, Eighner becomes a more ethical person. He learns lessons in life that unfortunately most people do not. These principles gained by Eighner should be applicable to everyone, but they are not. The affluent take many things for granted, and are quick to throw perfectly good objects away. They do not care if anything goes to waste. They also do not learn that they do not need material things in the life. The affluent have big screen televisions with over three hundred channels. They own the most expensive objects, and most would find it extremely difficult - almost impossible - to live without these riches. Everyone should learn the lessons that Eighner has learned. However, this probably will not happen unless they are forced to live in the conditions that Eighner experienced.

Eighner writes, "I think of scavenging as a modern form of self-reliance". I think he means that through his experience, he has learned to survive only based on his needs. He finds food for himself, and any objects found in the dumpster. He cannot go to the store to buy these things. Instead, he must rely on himself to find the things he absolutely needs in life. He does not have the priviledge of buying material objects. Therefore, scaveging has become his form of self-reliance.