Saturday, October 17, 2020

Little laundry magic/musing on materialism

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I read a novel this summer about English prisoners of war on a forced march through Malaysia during World War II, and right after reading a description of how the POWs' clothing was beginning to fall apart, I took a break to take my laundry out of the washing machine. And I felt such gratitude then for every piece of clothing. I took them out of the washing machine one by one and shook each piece out carefully, shaking out the wrinkles, shaking off any lint, and imbuing it with my grateful attention.

Often I look at my clothing in terms of do I like this item?/do I have too much clothing?/what clothing do I not have that I want? and it felt wonderful to instead appreciate the way each one accomplishes something needed. I have made this little ritual a habit now whenever I do laundry, because it just feels good.

In the last couple years I read something (I really wish I could remember where!) about how the way people in consumerist societies approach objects is not actually materialistic, because what we are obsessed with is the non-material qualities we think these objects will bring us - happiness, beauty, respite from worry, the respect or admiration of others, a better lifestyle, etc.

In fact, we tend to have very little appreciation for physical objects as such, for the materiality of a thing - how it feels to our senses, what it physically does for us, how long it will last, how we must care for it. The writer suggested that if we were all truly "materialists," as we are accused of being, we would have far healthier relationships with material objects. This struck me and really aligns with how I regard my possessions now - and even my physical self.

5 comments:

  1. "the way people in consumerist societies approach objects is not actually materialistic" !! this sparked something in my brain, thank you.

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    1. I'm only sorry I can't cite you a source!

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    2. Also would love to hear about your thought...

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  2. "This struck me and really aligns with how I regard my possessions now - and even my physical self." This really resonated with me. I've always been drawn to the idea of the self in a more "material" way (rather than insisting on a separation of self into mind/body in which the mind is the more "substantial" aspect, if that makes sense?) but haven't really been able to put that coherently into words. But there's definitely something so important to how the flesh vessel sustains us and how we care for those very material parts of ourselves. Thank you -- I know I'll come back to this thought.

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    1. Yes, that TOTALLY makes sense and I am right there with you on that.

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