Increasingly I am perplexed by the degradation of human-made objects. At one point, they come into a person's possession as new and novel. Over time, things lose their novelty, special schene, and allure. This process seems to happen at an expedited pace in our modern society. Looking at the quality of goods in North America, there has been a societal transition of valuing well-made things that stay in our lives for a long time for stuff that we replace once the next trend emerges. Sacrificing quality and outsourcing the making of our goods to poorer nations so that we may economically prosper is the modern equivalent of advocating for slavery. We are all complicit in this system. Anyone who owns a phone or electronics with a battery, especially an electric vehicle, supports modern slavery occurring in the cobalt mines of the Congo. This reality is sorrowful.

I like to imagine that most of us are opposed to these ethical compromises, regardless of how much better it makes our lives. I'm working toward creating a life that does not rely on the suffering of anonymous individuals. I hope this looks like consuming minimally, purchasing locally or as close to locally made goods as possible, repairing and caring for the things I own to extend their longevity, and eventually phasing out most electronics.