Analysis Of Lars Eighner's Dumpster Diving

Lars Eighner’s essay, Dumpster Diving, implements his thoughts on materialism and wealth through his actual experience as one of the homeless and conveys his concerns on modern society. That is to say, Eighner provides ethical accounts on people and their obsession over prestigious conveniences as to where they need to focus on the necessities. The author formulates a commendable position in exclaiming that people should not place value on tangible objects but rather what results from the human mind.
Subsequently, Eighner exhibits his opinions on the general population where he indicates that one’s devotion in their personal belongings will sever their person from their individual mindset. Eighner asserts that one’s individuality exceeds

whatever significance within concrete material. As an illustration, the author expresses his sentiment by entailing that tangible objects can be foreseen as “white elephants that eat up the possessor's substance” to which he means to say that peoples’ minds are eaten up by their dependence on on substantial innovations. This notion that Eighner professes alludes to how people become negligent of what is essential in return for unnecessary luxuries. As the author highlights the materialistic approach that people often commit themselves to doing, he dictates how such people take themselves for granted.
By the same token, Thomas Carlyle assumes a similar position in his essay The Surgeon As Priest. Carlyle integrates poetry and imagery as well as religious aspects to effectively construct his profession as a surgeon. Particularly, aside from his earnings, Carlyle demonstrates his non-materialistic perspective in which he refers to himself as a “priest” whose duty is to provide medical assistance to ailing people as to not “anger the gods”. His divine interpretation of his career adheres to Eighner’s principles to where one does not reside value in physical objects, but rather the mentality that exists on one’s self.
To conclude, Eighner’s attitude pertaining to wealth and materialism utilizes a settling and comprehensive view point on today’s society. It is not only the author’s experience as a Dumpster diver that aids him in evaluating his philosophy, but the endeavors of others to which he paid witness to as well. Within the dimensions of human mentality exists thoughts that is respective to ourselves and carries a significant weight that surpasses that of tangible materials.