Repair, Don’t Discard: An Ode to the Value of Things.
We live in an age where consumerism dominates our choices, urging us to replace anything broken with something new. This endless cycle not only weakens our connection to objects but also fuels unsustainable waste that threatens our balance with nature.
An object is not just material; it is memory. That chipped vase or wobbly chair is not merely a broken thing—they are witnesses of our time, fragments of life we have lived. Repairing them does more than restore their function; it honours the value they have held in our journey. Discarding them means discarding a piece of ourselves.
This culture of “repair and preserve” stands in opposition to the logic of consumerism, which traps us in an endless loop of production, purchase, and disposal. It is a system that transforms precious resources into waste at a pace nature cannot sustain. Humanity, however, is not a closed circuit harmoniously integrated with the planet. Unlike nature, we do not recycle ourselves but behave as outsiders who exploit and abandon.
Every repaired object is a small act of defiance against waste—a gesture of awareness that emphasises the importance of slowing down, appreciating what we have, and reconnecting with a more sustainable way of life. Repairing not only preserves things but also cultivates gratitude for their existence and their contribution to our daily lives.
The path to a better future lies in seemingly small choices: repair, preserve, protect. Only by doing so can we hope to restore balance with the Earth and with ourselves.