Old and New

Was talking to my students about recycling. Water, plastic, paper, etc. (The city of L. has yet to build at least one recycling facility. Most things just get dumped -- and not necessarily at the dumpster). Somehow we ended up talking about reusing things (thrift stores, donations, Salvation Army, etc). The interesting thing is that, when asked if they would wear/use something used/worn, 90% of the group pulled a quick 'no, never' at me. This was hardly a revelation but a confirmation. The cult of the (brand-) New has been obvious to me from day one. But the reasoning behind all this is still pretty unclear.

Be as it may, what bothers me most is that this place is losing a sense of history... I mean older things get mercilessly discarded (especially material culture). Grandmas and grandpas, those in their 70s, with their maniacal attachment to material possessions (mostly because they can't afford new things) are the only depositories of Soviet relics. The Soviets seemed to work hard to obliterate everything pre-Soviet. Younger people now seem like they were born with their iPhone, Nokia, IKEA, and Chinese Dolce&Gabbana. And the rate at which we now move through things is quite amazing. This kind of attitude is very similar to the attitude to computers and software. After all, why would you use Firefox 3.6.10 if the 3.6.11 is already out?