I grew up in a time when it something was broken, we fixed it.
Clothes that were torn would got mended.
Slippers with broken straps are made usable again with string and wire.
We always had a piece of bamboo, a cut of plywood, some string and wire,
nails and glue around which would always come in handy for fixing things.
And things that cannot be fixed or those that would otherwise be thrown away
are re-purposed: parts of broken toys show up in ‘new’ toys;
big cans become containers or measures;
small ones, including bottle caps became toys;
bottles become containers or utensils.
Today, when something gets broke it is usually discarded and replaced.
Many products even have expiration dates, whether perishable or durable goods designed with planned obsolescence, which says it is time to throw them away.
And what is even more unfortunate is that this mentality has been applied also to relationships – disposable and replaceable.
There are things that should be ‘built to last’.