On Dumpster Diving Summary

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America is known throughout the world as “the land of opportunity.” We are the land where everybody has an equal opportunity to succeed and the right to enjoy life, cherish liberty and pursue happiness. This ideal is even written in the very document which freed us from the rule of Britain, the Declaration of Independence –“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, which among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” With founding documents which promise such great potential, it is almost difficult to fathom one could ever find true happiness. In American society, we are told that ‘happiness’ is defined by how high one’s status is, how large of a bank account one has, and the amount of materialistic goods one possess. What is not emphasized, however, is that happiness is interpreted by an individual’s own personal definition. Therefore, happiness is subjective. In his essay, “On Dumpster Diving,” Eighner’s goal is to enlighten the audience by showing although he became homeless and could not effectively manage his finances, he was not completely incompetent. All through his tribulations and hardship he was still appreciative about the meaningless, or meaningful (whichever way you interpret) items he found while scavenging through dumpsters. It is very clear that Eighner was not ashamed of his lifestyle. He found moderately safe and efficient ways to maintain the needs of his lifestyle, as well as uphold the basic elements needed to survive by rummaging through public dumpsters and people’s trash. I feel as though he was trying to illuminate the wasteful nature of society. Americans tend to discard items that are too old, weathered and/or worn, even though the items are still functional and practical. Say I throw out a shirt. Why did I throw the

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