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   myrmepropagandist (futurebird@sauropods.win)'s status on Monday, 19-May-2025 01:13:46 JST myrmepropagandist

   I have an idea for a program to promote businesses that are good for the environment because they help people repair things. Places like tailors, cobblers, electronics repair are all at risk of vanishing along with the skills required to do these things.

   Right at a moment when we should be making repair and longevity a bigger part of material culture.

   My cobbler is very old and isn't training anyone to take over.

   Just telling people to repair things won't cut it.

   • clacke@libranet.de is my main likes this.
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     moggie (everydaymoggie@sfba.social)'s status on Monday, 19-May-2025 01:13:42 JST moggie

     in reply to

     "I've heard people suggest that products that last slow economies. That isn't true. They change who gets to make money."

     This right here is probably the real driver of disposability. If things last, rich parasites don't make excess profits from people continually replacing manufactured goods. Instead ordinary people keep the income from repairs in their circles. Can't allow working class people to thrive, or they won't be willing to be pawns any longer.

     @futurebird

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     myrmepropagandist (futurebird@sauropods.win)'s status on Monday, 19-May-2025 01:13:44 JST myrmepropagandist

     in reply to

     I think the disappearance of these kinds of trades feeds the feeling that the modern world is terrible and strange strains of nostalgia that right wing politicians seem adept at exploiting and turning in to much uglier things... without ever bringing back any of the things from "the good old days" that were actually good.

     Like shoes that you could love and have for 25 years.

     I've heard people suggest that products that last slow economies. That isn't true. They change who gets to make money.

     Mr. Bill repeated this.
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     myrmepropagandist (futurebird@sauropods.win)'s status on Monday, 19-May-2025 01:13:45 JST myrmepropagandist

     in reply to

     There needs to be:

     * incentives to manufacture things that can be repaired
     * a general shift to see repairability as a sign of quality, luxury and responsibility
     * training a new generation to do the work
     * support for these trades so it's a viable way of life

     Having a job fixing things is one of those types of work that can nourish the soul. But it needs to nourish the wallet too.