8 ms·

The Things We Carry

162 points by jpm_sd 9y ago

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
clintonb 9y ago
The link is broken. I keep getting redirected to http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/1-the-things-we-carry/wp-admin/install.php http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/1-the-things-we-carry/wp....
- Xephyrous 9y ago
  Here's a boingboing post that contains some of the text of the article: https://boingboing.net/2017/12/10/shanzhai-futurism.html https://boingboing.net/2017/12/10/shanzhai-futurism.html
  - rhn_mk1 9y ago
    This post contains some text from a different article, there's no mention of Shenzen or Toronto in the original link (I still have it open in a tab).
    - kodt 9y ago
      Both are mentioned in the last paragraph.
      - rhn_mk1 9y ago
        Sorry, that's right. Still, that's not the quoted article.
        cwyers 9y ago
        It's a five-part essay -- you have to click on the links to the left to get to the other parts. It may be from there (I can't get the site to load right now either).
    - et-al 9y ago
      "Kipple Field Notes" is a series of five short essays. The BoingBoing post was quoting the second essay, Brickworks. 1. The Things We Carry (thanks to Qworg) https://web.archive.org/web/20171211174656/http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/1-the-things-we-carry/ https://web.archive.org/web/20171211174656/http://www.hillar... 2. Brickworks https://web.archive.org/web/20171211211354/http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/2-brickworks/ https://web.archive.org/web/20171211211354/http://www.hillar... 3. A Sea of Commodities https://web.archive.org/web/20171211214132/http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/3-a-sea-of-commodities/ https://web.archive.org/web/20171211214132/http://www.hillar... 4. Shoreline Commemorative [no mirror] 5. A Taxonomy of Kibble [no mirror] Unfortunately the Wayback Machine did not archive the last two in time. Someone can try reaching out to the author on Twitter (@hillarypredko) and see if Hillary would like to repost these essays.
- Qworg 9y ago
  Here's the WB link: https://web.archive.org/web/20171211174656/http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/1-the-things-we-carry/ https://web.archive.org/web/20171211174656/http://www.hillar...
teach 9y ago
Site seems down (HN effect, I guess), but this article is related: https://boingboing.net/2017/12/10/shanzhai-futurism.html https://boingboing.net/2017/12/10/shanzhai-futurism.html
rhn_mk1 9y ago
I share the author's concern about kipple, although I came to the same conclusion from a different starting point. It's very difficult to jump off the train of kipple. On one hand, it's hard to make unwanted items useful again. Barely anyone will accept old electronics for free, tiny items like gifts and poscards are destined to be burned like the flowers in the article. On the other hand, there's an expectation that everyone will keep getting new things. Family will notice the same sweater as last Christmas. Coworkers will organize Secret Santa where 90% of gifts serve to satisfy curiosity and nothing more, doomed to be thrown into a bottom of a drawer. Sellers will try to push for replacements instead of fixes once items start showing signs of wear. For me, the journey didn't start from flowers, but from living in many places for a short time. Every kilogram off the back makes moving (and, conincidentally, life) easier. This minimalism blends well with the idea of overproducing, and now I know the word - kipple - that describes what I'm trying to fend off.
- Qworg 9y ago
  Interestingly, I find that it is difficult to escape the expectation of getting new things unless you're already wealthy. Poorer people can't afford a high quality new thing, so they buy a cheaper one to replace its utility. However, that object breaks, so they have to buy it again. Is there a way to create the conditions of minimalism for everyone?
  - jdavis703 9y ago
    There are some fintech startups working on this idea. One of them is basically trying to bank the unbanked and then give their "safe" customers access to a no-interest loan when they need to make a large purchase or have an emergency come up (this is similar to schemes like PayPal Capital, except for consumers). That, combined with more education around the axiom of "I'm too poor to buy cheap things" would help provide more knowledge around reducing consumer culture.
    - frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago
      How do you make money providing no interest loans to the unbanked? Do you have an example of a startup like that?
tzury 9y ago
redirecting to install.php either malicious, infected or just broken.
- singlow 9y ago
  Its a mis-configured WordPress multi-site installation. If the domain is not recognized it redirects to the install page to create a new site on the domain, but they probably have site creation disabled, since they aren't an open community like wordpress.com is.
hateful 9y ago
“The things you own end up owning you. It's only after you lose everything that you're free to do anything.” ― Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club
- FRex 9y ago
  "If you are not very careful, your possessions will possess you." - Marina Lambrini Diamandis, Oh No!
  - ashark 9y ago
    "I had three pieces of limestone on my desk, but I was terrified to find that they required to be dusted daily, when the furniture of my mind was all undusted still, and threw them out the window in disgust." HD Thoreau, Walden
- AnimalMuppet 9y ago
  "Are you a user, or being used?" - Petra, "Computer Brains"
- greggman 9y ago
  as someone that lived out of a suitcase for 3 years I disagree. Closets full of tools and supplies let you create. Shelves of parts let you hack. Cabinets of kitchen equipment let you cook. Dinning rooms and living rooms full of furniture let you entertain and throw parties. all of those things are much harder when you reduce your belongings to one suitcase. Even simple things line winter clothes vs summer clothes become problematic. Shoes for everyday, rain, hiking, snow, beach end up being disposable. And that dosen't include dress shoes if you find the need. so no you are not free to do anything without things
revx 9y ago
Do note that there are 5 parts to the story. (I almost closed the tab after finishing part 1)
resu_nimda 9y ago
Kipple, climate change, humans irreversibly changing the planet - it all sounds bad, until you realize that the earth has undergone numerous major shifts in the history of life, each of which created new conditions that ultimately led to humanity. The Great Oxygenation Event is the story of bacteria that mindlessly converted resources into waste until they were drowning in it, killing off the vast majority of life - except the tiny portion that was adapted to thrive on that waste. And from then on the oxygen-breathers flourished. This and other events make me pretty confident that some life form will find a way to make use of whatever garbage-laden hellscape we produce. In fact I'm pretty sure even humans will be able to adapt, and who knows, maybe the new conditions will usher in new wonders!
- cortesoft 9y ago
  I never quite understand this argument. I don't think people who are worried about climate change are worried that it will be the end of all life, but that it will be the end of a good life for humans. Knowing some bacteria will love the apocalypse doesn't really matter; I want humans, and my children and their children and their children's children, to be able to enjoy this planet. I care about humans because I am a human. I mean, if you trully believe that all life is interchangable, it doesn't really matter if humans exist as long as some life exists, then why do anything at all? Nothing would matter.
  - resu_nimda 9y ago
    It is somewhat of a nihilistic or fatalistic argument. But to me it serves as a counterpoint to the fear and depression that can take hold when considering the future of humanity and one's lack of control over it. It's meant to be comforting in a "don't sweat it too much, life will go on" kind of way. I do sometimes feel like it's not worth worrying too much about what kind of earth your children's children's children's children will inherit. Just as all humans, they will enter the world as it is and make do. Their perspective and basis for what a "good life" is will be relative to their environment and experience. I'm not saying we should burn it all down for the hell of it, but that I feel like there is a lot of hand wringing and pessimism about "the future" that is perhaps unnecessary and contributes to increased fear and anxiety (i.e. not the good life) among people that are actually alive right now.
archildress 9y ago
I just went through a break up of my own and I'm having a tremendously hard time in every sense of the phrase. Part of me wants to hang onto some of the photos and momento's to help me learn and remember the good times, but it feels so painful as well. But getting rid of it all feels dishonest that implies a revisionist history about how I felt about my s/o.
- j_s 9y ago
  Perhaps it would be helpful to find a safe place for them to be inaccessible for a minimum amount of time, probably measured in multiple years?
- greggman 9y ago
  keep them. trust me you'll be happy you did in a few years. if it really hurts put them on an HD or SD and give to a friend to give back to you in a few years.
metaphorical 9y ago
Such beautiful, thoughtful writing. Thanks for sharing.
erasemus 9y ago
Kipple is Sturgeon's Law applied to household objects.

162 points by jpm_sd 9y ago

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

The link is broken. I keep getting redirected to http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/1-the-things-we-carry/wp-admin/install.php http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/1-the-things-we-carry/wp....

Xephyrous 9y ago
Here's a boingboing post that contains some of the text of the article: https://boingboing.net/2017/12/10/shanzhai-futurism.html https://boingboing.net/2017/12/10/shanzhai-futurism.html
- rhn_mk1 9y ago
  This post contains some text from a different article, there's no mention of Shenzen or Toronto in the original link (I still have it open in a tab).
  - kodt 9y ago
    Both are mentioned in the last paragraph.
    - rhn_mk1 9y ago
      Sorry, that's right. Still, that's not the quoted article.
      - cwyers 9y ago
        It's a five-part essay -- you have to click on the links to the left to get to the other parts. It may be from there (I can't get the site to load right now either).
  - et-al 9y ago
    "Kipple Field Notes" is a series of five short essays. The BoingBoing post was quoting the second essay, Brickworks. 1. The Things We Carry (thanks to Qworg) https://web.archive.org/web/20171211174656/http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/1-the-things-we-carry/ https://web.archive.org/web/20171211174656/http://www.hillar... 2. Brickworks https://web.archive.org/web/20171211211354/http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/2-brickworks/ https://web.archive.org/web/20171211211354/http://www.hillar... 3. A Sea of Commodities https://web.archive.org/web/20171211214132/http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/3-a-sea-of-commodities/ https://web.archive.org/web/20171211214132/http://www.hillar... 4. Shoreline Commemorative [no mirror] 5. A Taxonomy of Kibble [no mirror] Unfortunately the Wayback Machine did not archive the last two in time. Someone can try reaching out to the author on Twitter (@hillarypredko) and see if Hillary would like to repost these essays.
Qworg 9y ago
Here's the WB link: https://web.archive.org/web/20171211174656/http://www.hillarypredko.com/kipple/1-the-things-we-carry/ https://web.archive.org/web/20171211174656/http://www.hillar...

teach 9y ago

Site seems down (HN effect, I guess), but this article is related: https://boingboing.net/2017/12/10/shanzhai-futurism.html https://boingboing.net/2017/12/10/shanzhai-futurism.html

rhn_mk1 9y ago

I share the author's concern about kipple, although I came to the same conclusion from a different starting point. It's very difficult to jump off the train of kipple. On one hand, it's hard to make unwanted items useful again. Barely anyone will accept old electronics for free, tiny items like gifts and poscards are destined to be burned like the flowers in the article. On the other hand, there's an expectation that everyone will keep getting new things. Family will notice the same sweater as last Christmas. Coworkers will organize Secret Santa where 90% of gifts serve to satisfy curiosity and nothing more, doomed to be thrown into a bottom of a drawer. Sellers will try to push for replacements instead of fixes once items start showing signs of wear. For me, the journey didn't start from flowers, but from living in many places for a short time. Every kilogram off the back makes moving (and, conincidentally, life) easier. This minimalism blends well with the idea of overproducing, and now I know the word - kipple - that describes what I'm trying to fend off.

Qworg 9y ago
Interestingly, I find that it is difficult to escape the expectation of getting new things unless you're already wealthy. Poorer people can't afford a high quality new thing, so they buy a cheaper one to replace its utility. However, that object breaks, so they have to buy it again. Is there a way to create the conditions of minimalism for everyone?
- jdavis703 9y ago
  There are some fintech startups working on this idea. One of them is basically trying to bank the unbanked and then give their "safe" customers access to a no-interest loan when they need to make a large purchase or have an emergency come up (this is similar to schemes like PayPal Capital, except for consumers). That, combined with more education around the axiom of "I'm too poor to buy cheap things" would help provide more knowledge around reducing consumer culture.
  - frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago
    How do you make money providing no interest loans to the unbanked? Do you have an example of a startup like that?

tzury 9y ago

redirecting to install.php either malicious, infected or just broken.

singlow 9y ago
Its a mis-configured WordPress multi-site installation. If the domain is not recognized it redirects to the install page to create a new site on the domain, but they probably have site creation disabled, since they aren't an open community like wordpress.com is.

hateful 9y ago

“The things you own end up owning you. It's only after you lose everything that you're free to do anything.” ― Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

FRex 9y ago
"If you are not very careful, your possessions will possess you." - Marina Lambrini Diamandis, Oh No!
- ashark 9y ago
  "I had three pieces of limestone on my desk, but I was terrified to find that they required to be dusted daily, when the furniture of my mind was all undusted still, and threw them out the window in disgust." HD Thoreau, Walden
AnimalMuppet 9y ago
"Are you a user, or being used?" - Petra, "Computer Brains"
greggman 9y ago
as someone that lived out of a suitcase for 3 years I disagree. Closets full of tools and supplies let you create. Shelves of parts let you hack. Cabinets of kitchen equipment let you cook. Dinning rooms and living rooms full of furniture let you entertain and throw parties. all of those things are much harder when you reduce your belongings to one suitcase. Even simple things line winter clothes vs summer clothes become problematic. Shoes for everyday, rain, hiking, snow, beach end up being disposable. And that dosen't include dress shoes if you find the need. so no you are not free to do anything without things

revx 9y ago

Do note that there are 5 parts to the story. (I almost closed the tab after finishing part 1)

resu_nimda 9y ago

Kipple, climate change, humans irreversibly changing the planet - it all sounds bad, until you realize that the earth has undergone numerous major shifts in the history of life, each of which created new conditions that ultimately led to humanity. The Great Oxygenation Event is the story of bacteria that mindlessly converted resources into waste until they were drowning in it, killing off the vast majority of life - except the tiny portion that was adapted to thrive on that waste. And from then on the oxygen-breathers flourished. This and other events make me pretty confident that some life form will find a way to make use of whatever garbage-laden hellscape we produce. In fact I'm pretty sure even humans will be able to adapt, and who knows, maybe the new conditions will usher in new wonders!

cortesoft 9y ago
I never quite understand this argument. I don't think people who are worried about climate change are worried that it will be the end of all life, but that it will be the end of a good life for humans. Knowing some bacteria will love the apocalypse doesn't really matter; I want humans, and my children and their children and their children's children, to be able to enjoy this planet. I care about humans because I am a human. I mean, if you trully believe that all life is interchangable, it doesn't really matter if humans exist as long as some life exists, then why do anything at all? Nothing would matter.
- resu_nimda 9y ago
  It is somewhat of a nihilistic or fatalistic argument. But to me it serves as a counterpoint to the fear and depression that can take hold when considering the future of humanity and one's lack of control over it. It's meant to be comforting in a "don't sweat it too much, life will go on" kind of way. I do sometimes feel like it's not worth worrying too much about what kind of earth your children's children's children's children will inherit. Just as all humans, they will enter the world as it is and make do. Their perspective and basis for what a "good life" is will be relative to their environment and experience. I'm not saying we should burn it all down for the hell of it, but that I feel like there is a lot of hand wringing and pessimism about "the future" that is perhaps unnecessary and contributes to increased fear and anxiety (i.e. not the good life) among people that are actually alive right now.

archildress 9y ago

I just went through a break up of my own and I'm having a tremendously hard time in every sense of the phrase. Part of me wants to hang onto some of the photos and momento's to help me learn and remember the good times, but it feels so painful as well. But getting rid of it all feels dishonest that implies a revisionist history about how I felt about my s/o.

j_s 9y ago
Perhaps it would be helpful to find a safe place for them to be inaccessible for a minimum amount of time, probably measured in multiple years?
greggman 9y ago
keep them. trust me you'll be happy you did in a few years. if it really hurts put them on an HD or SD and give to a friend to give back to you in a few years.

metaphorical 9y ago

Such beautiful, thoughtful writing. Thanks for sharing.

erasemus 9y ago

Kipple is Sturgeon's Law applied to household objects.