Comments on: Ellen Ruppel Shell’s CHEAP — Part Four

By: Ellen Ruppel Shell’s CHEAP — Part Three : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:14:03 +0000

[...] Ruppel Shell’s Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture. Other installments: Part One, Part Two, Part Four, and Part [...]

By: Ellen Ruppel Shell’s CHEAP — Part Two : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:12:45 +0000

[...] Shell’s Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture. Other installments: Part One, Part Three, Part Four, and Part [...]

By: Ellen Ruppel Shell (BSS #297) : The Bat Segundo Show

Ellen Ruppel Shell (BSS #297) : The Bat Segundo Show — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:56:49 +0000

[...] with several thoughtful people, which you can investigate here: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, and Part [...]

By: Colleen

Colleen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:16:02 +0000

Ed – can you fix my quote up there about living in “Arkansas” and eating King Crab? I abbreviated it as AK in my post – AK is ALASKA which is where I live part time. My family gets king crab dirt cheap up there (caught off the sea ice near Nome); that was what I was talking about.

I can’t imagine how expensive king crab must be in Arkansas!!!

Thanks!

By: Eric Rosenfield

Eric Rosenfield — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:27:47 +0000

I just want to say that I’m really enjoying this conversation. Fascinating.

By: Dru

Dru — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:01:05 +0000

This discussion about bookshelves is rather amusing. The concern about a furniture-maker’s clear-cutting practices when considering buying bookshelves that will end up–what was the phrase? “groaning with books?”–is somewhat ironic. What does she think books are made of? Here’s an idea: use the library! Don’t buy books! Then you don’t have to buy shelves! How many trees were saved?

Incidentally, I own several bookshelves I purchased from Target over 15 years ago, and they’ve been through several moves with me, including halfway across the country. Just because something is cheap doesn’t mean you have to treat it cheaply, or that it falls apart. I’ve known plenty of people who treat fine wood furniture as though it’s disposable.

Really, it’s the same old problem. It’s our mindset. It’s the vegetarian carrying the leather bag, the environmental activist blowing cigarette smoke in your face. We should try to be aware of our choices, but we must not kid ourselves that we won’t step on some toes to avoid others.