Selfish

[JaneV2.0]

Thrift stores are brimming with serviceable clothing. I know St. Vincent de Paul, for one, distributes items free of charge to people in need.

I have a lot of clothes--mostly bought used--that will go back to the thrift stream when I am through with them. I don't respond well--at all, really--to attempts at shaming.

[catherine]

I will support varrs' point of view with modifications. There is no way in hell people are going to buy into the idea that things they don't need in their homes are stolen property. That's a tough argument. But how about this...

As most of you know I did my big purge a couple of years ago. In my basement I had a Little Mermaid costume my daughter (now 35) wore for Halloween when she was 7. I also had the little suit that my son (now 36) wore for a movie premiere when he was 7. Every now and then when I was in the basement those things in particular would catch my eye and I would think, wouldn't someone else get a lot of use and pleasure from those two things? Why do I keep them here dusty and rotting away? It's not so much that I feel that other people are entitled to my stuff, or technically "own" my stuff that I "stole"--I consider it something that I need to work on if I can't find it in my heart to let go of things that might serve the needs of other people.

It's funny--in another thread I referenced Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book, The Cost of Discipleship, and in the chapter called "The Simplicity of the Carefree Life" he says:

"Earthly goods are given to be used, not to be collected. In the wilderness God gave Israel the manna every day, and they had no need to worry about food and drink. Indeed, if they keep any of the manna over until the next day, it went bad. In the same way, the disciple must receive his portion from God every day. If he stores it up as a permanent possession, he spoils not only the gift, but himself as well, for he sets his heart on his accumulated wealth, and make it a barrier between himself and God. Where our treasure is, there is our trust, our security, our consolation and our God. Hoarding is idolatry."

I know I'm going to take a bashing for that quote, and it really does belong in the Spirituality forum, but I think it kind of gets at what varrs was saying.

ETA: BTW, those items did not make the cut in The Purge. They are STILL in my NJ home basement. So I'm not shaming anyone for owning anything--if I were to shame someone, I'd start with myself.

[iris lilies]

If I buy 1 fewer coats that doesn’t magically transfer to a poor person getting a coat.

But I think the coat parable is more about us paying attention to “enough” and sharing our excess.

We here on this board do understand the concept of “enough” and we even lament, regularly, the “excess” in our lives that drag us down.

[Teacher Terry]

I am perfect in the coat department). I will just add that ribbon to my purging one). One winter and one spring and fall. But I don’t do any type of activities that require old coats that can get dirty. Even when I had my big old dog he never jumped on me so I could walk him in my good coat. I have to admit that I had coat excess but donated them. Plus losing a total of 50lbs necessitated a new wardrobe. When it was time to help my ex get rid of his junk I had no old clothes so wore one of his T-shirts but had to wear a expensive pair of jeans from Chico’s. Ugh! Looking back I should have went to Walmart and bought a pair of sweatpants.

[LDAHL]

Most people on the left are as protective of their property as anyone else. Ldahl, you make assumptions that make my head hurt.

That was Marx’s criticism of Proudhon, and I always thought he was pretty lefty. Although I do agree with you that there are plenty of people on the left vigorously preserving their wealth and privilege while preaching about the evils of wealth and privilege.

[iris lilies]

I bestowed my Daddy Joe windfall, $1400, upon my neighborhood association yesterday. So, Joe should be happy with that transfer of wealth.

Due to our problematic new website, I had to get the treasurer and the web builder involved because I couldn’t make the “Donate” button work. Methinks we are having technical problems there which of course means even less money flowing into our already depleted coffers.

But hey, 5% of our house tour take (virtual house tour) will go to human charities, so yay? The do-gooders in our ‘nabe seem unable to keep their hands off other-peoples’-money. See, I am capable of giving to human charities should I wish to do that. I don’t. And it pizzes me off that any part of my windfall goes to charities outside of my neighborhood.

edited to add: yes! My post fits in this thread. Read the title. I feel no shame.

[catherine]

But I think the coat parable is more about us paying attention to “enough” and sharing our excess.

We here on this board do understand the concept of “enough” and we even lament, regularly, the “excess” in our lives that drag us down.

Agreed.

[happystuff]

If I buy 1 fewer coats that doesn’t magically transfer to a poor person getting a coat.

But I think the coat parable is more about us paying attention to “enough” and sharing our excess.

We here on this board do understand the concept of “enough” and we even lament, regularly, the “excess” in our lives that drag us down.

Also agree and with what catherine said. Nice explanations.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I don't own a coat haha, for obvious reasons. Though really I don't even own a jacket and that's a bit much.

Most people on the left like most people period, don't own any property to speak of. And then one might say: well maybe they own their home, yea the home they live in, that is not any property to speak of.

[JaneV2.0]

"See, I am capable of giving to human charities should I wish to do that." (IL)
I give most of my charitable monies to animal charities that do demonstrable good, as well.

I rarely wear coats, but do have a couple of lightweight ones, just in case.