There's a... I don't know whether one would call it a religion or philosophy, but it's called "animism". It's the belief that in all things lie a spirit. Rivers, rocks, trees, etc. You find this belief prevalent in shamanism.
I don't know whether I'd consider myself an animist or not, though I was sure my last car hated me. But I've often repurposed old appliances or other devices because I felt it would be betrayal of a loyal tool to just junk it.
Case in point: I have an old cassette stereo in my house. AM/FM radio, tape deck, microphone recorder. My mother got it for me to take to summer camp years ago. It's worked fine all these years and never let me down.
I also have an iPod. As such, I don't really use my tapes that much anymore, and I'm actually currently working on transferring them to digital. But here's my old boom box in the corner, not hurting anyone, still perfectly willing to do his job. He deserves better than obsolescence. So I saved him. I took the old cassette adapter from my car stereo (unneeded since I upgraded that piece of equipment) and with some clever applications of a screwdriver, installed it in my boom box. Now I have some very nice speakers for my iPod, I've saved myself about $300 in getting said speakers, and my old boom box has a second life. Actually, it's a multimedia device now because the plug on the cassette adapter can work for an iPod/MP3 player, CD player or another tape deck (ironically enough). It's now MORE useful than when I got it!
It's ridiculous, but I really feel like I did a Good Thing by doing that. There's an attitude of waste in our world these days. Newer = better and to hell with what came before. Well, I have a little more loyalty than that. I won't say they'll drag me into the 21st century kicking and screaming, but I certainly won't kiss off the 20th to get there.
I would encourage the world to take a look around and see what's dusty and hasn't been used; wipe it down, bring it into the light. And forget "negotiating tough economic times" or "going green" or any of that stuff. Just look at something that used to do well by you and see if it can still do so. It'll make you feel good.
-CB
I don't know whether I'd consider myself an animist or not, though I was sure my last car hated me. But I've often repurposed old appliances or other devices because I felt it would be betrayal of a loyal tool to just junk it.
Case in point: I have an old cassette stereo in my house. AM/FM radio, tape deck, microphone recorder. My mother got it for me to take to summer camp years ago. It's worked fine all these years and never let me down.
I also have an iPod. As such, I don't really use my tapes that much anymore, and I'm actually currently working on transferring them to digital. But here's my old boom box in the corner, not hurting anyone, still perfectly willing to do his job. He deserves better than obsolescence. So I saved him. I took the old cassette adapter from my car stereo (unneeded since I upgraded that piece of equipment) and with some clever applications of a screwdriver, installed it in my boom box. Now I have some very nice speakers for my iPod, I've saved myself about $300 in getting said speakers, and my old boom box has a second life. Actually, it's a multimedia device now because the plug on the cassette adapter can work for an iPod/MP3 player, CD player or another tape deck (ironically enough). It's now MORE useful than when I got it!
It's ridiculous, but I really feel like I did a Good Thing by doing that. There's an attitude of waste in our world these days. Newer = better and to hell with what came before. Well, I have a little more loyalty than that. I won't say they'll drag me into the 21st century kicking and screaming, but I certainly won't kiss off the 20th to get there.
I would encourage the world to take a look around and see what's dusty and hasn't been used; wipe it down, bring it into the light. And forget "negotiating tough economic times" or "going green" or any of that stuff. Just look at something that used to do well by you and see if it can still do so. It'll make you feel good.
-CB