Different generations disagree on disposal

I have finally given up and am shopping for a new vacuum cleaner. The one we have is past its prime. The front wheels fell off years ago. The cover plate on the bottom is held on by half the number of screws as it should be. The edge of the dirt cup is resting on a shelf waiting to be glued back on. It makes way too much noise. Yet, it still has great suction and I am loathe to get rid of it.

In spite of all its problems, the deciding factor is the ever increasing price and decreasing availability of the filters. I used to be able to go to the sweeper store and pick up filters. They no longer carry that model and have to order them. The last time I replaced the filters it was with ones I ordered online.

I did manage to find a few limited sources online this time, but the price has become prohibitive. Thus, the search for a new sweeper has begun.

I want to get a bagless model. I have sweeper bags left over from machines that ended up in the landfill years ago. The bagless ones eliminate that problem. I also want an upright vacuum. I had a canister vacuum one time and hated it. It would get hung up on anything that protruded the slightest fraction of an inch. The hassle isn’t worth the added power.

I am caught between generations. My mom’s generation was taught to never, ever throw anything away. If it can’t be repaired then it should be kept for parts. Make do was the equivalent of a commandment. To get rid of anything that still ran or might be useful someday was a deadly sin.

My daughter and her children are members of a disposable culture. If it is more than a year or two old it should be tossed into the trash and a new one purchased. Things are just things and have no value if they aren’t the latest model and have more added features than will ever be used.

I am in the middle. I keep things far longer than I should but I do dispose of them eventually. I firmly believe that most products are more durable if they were made long ago. Newer models have a limited life expectancy. The days of keeping a sweeper for more than a decade are over. Actually, not many things last that long any more.

All three points of view have their merits. Disposability results in jobs to replace that which has been disposed. Durability results in less trash in the landfill. My keeping stuff longer than I probably should drives my family nuts but when I do finally get rid of something we will invariably need it the very next day.

Every generation has quirks that puzzle the other generations. Older people are appalled that the rest of us throw so much stuff away. They think it is needlessly wasteful. Younger people are equally appalled at how much stuff older people keep. They vow to throw it all away after we die. Those of us in the middle can’t please either group.

Things can connect us to those who have gone before. My grandmother’s spinning wheel was a visual reminder of her own mom. Her treadle sewing machine reminds me of Mom sewing entire wardrobes for my dolls. Those things are important and deserve to be kept.

On the other hand, a sweeper is a utilitarian device that should be allowed to slowly decompose after its working life has come to an end. I will probably get a few more uses before I give up on it completely. While I may be unwilling to give up sentimental items, the sweeper doesn’t qualify as a sentimental item. Sometimes it is better to just let go.