On Dumpster Diving

I honestly thought what Eighner had to say in "On Dumpster Diving" was fascinating. The lifestyle that was drawn by Eighner was one that I had never thought of or experienced. I also really enjoyed his explanation of the evolution of the dumpster diver. At first, the fresh diver will take everything, regardless of worth or use. However, as time goes by, there is a realization that taking useless items is just that: useless. So, the diver eventually only hunts for the essentials: food, clothing, etc. His writing seems almost useful in the unfortunate event that I become homeless.

I do have a couple points that stuck with me. The first is that he stated that he tried not to judge the people that threw things into the dumpster. However, the writing seemed somewhat judgmental or condescending at times. The way he described the supposed thought process of why a certain item was disposed annoyed me. He assumed the lifestyle or choices of his "patrons" according to what else he found in the dumpster. Then, he would go on to tell the tale of the disposed item in anyway he would like. Am I being too cynical towards a man who scavenges dumpsters to get by? Perhaps I am. Another point that annoyed me is the language that he used. I may have read too much into his style, but it almost seemed like a humble brag. Some sentences used unnecessary words that screamed: "I may be homeless, but I do know my English!" There is, however, a huge chance that this means I'm just a lackluster reader/writer.

Overall, I enjoyed reading through "On Dumpster Diving". Eighner's description of the little tricks and tips to successful diving really kept me interested and on my feet. If anything, I can probably get by for a little while if I ever find myself in a dire situation.