Comments on: What are we doing on this site?

By: evan

evan — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 22:22:59 +0000

Wow, what an amazing post. Let’s hope none of us lose that perspective…

By: Jason Gordon

Jason Gordon — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:25:05 +0000

Chico State sets up bins for all that kind of stuff and donates them to the needy. I think all dorms should do something of the sorts.

By: Susan

Susan — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 08:05:41 +0000

I love this idea and I always loved dumpster diving myself! A few years ago l lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn and lots of people, including myself, would put clothes we didn’t need on the fence or leave boxes of books on the sidewalk…it was a lot of fun watching people come by and check out the clothes and find something they wanted; even better was how people would gather around a box of free books and get into conversations about the books or whatever….I got tons of great clothes, coo furniture and all sorts of other stuff like that….

And then came the great New York City Bedbug Epidemic…it’s totally out of control and getting exponentially worse….and college dorms are bedbug heaven! Columbia had a problem in their student housing this year and so did Union Seminary across the street…I dread to think what people unwittingly took home with all that great stuff the students left on the street!

And, believe me, after going through the nightmare of getting rid of them (a clueless friend managed to infest our apartment), I’ll never risk it again no matter how great something looks…when I see something fabulous in the street, something I would have immediately dragged home a few years ago and all I can think of is: Bedbugs! The experience was so traumatic that it changed that part of my life forever…

Plus, I had to put half my own stuff on the street and, although I wrapped and clearly marked everything “Bedbugs!!” the stuff got carried off anyway–so now more folks have the nasty little buggers despite my best efforts….

So–be careful about that great couch or all those wonderful decorations… make sure you check them really, really carefully…and if you decide to take it home consider treating it with a bedbug-specific insecticide (I eventually won the battle with a “green” product: “Results” from Diatect. But I wouldn’t want to have to go through the whole horror again….)

Okay–that’s my rant and my apologies for being such a downer…

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 17:25:27 +0000

Resonance on your old article. I agree with your view so much… and it is good that you are actually recalling this piece of article you wrote long long time ago – you are really learnt and consciously knowing the direction and the way how money should be spend…

By: An

An — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:47:14 +0000

This situation is typical of my native home, Hong Kong, where people would buy a massive bunch of stuff, and try to stuff everything into a whole home that’s smaller than your kitchen in the States. Then every now and then they start throwing things out, or donating clothes.

I know of an organisation here, called Crossroads International (based in Hong Kong), where they collect up goods from corporate and personal nature, and repackage them and ship them to places in need.

I wonder how much more we can do this. Many of the “old” mobile phones, “old” computers, typewriters, books, magazine subscriptions, toys that can simply be better used with someone else in need.

Thanks for this post Ramit – we’re in this together, the whole world. We can all make the world a little better.

By: normd

normd — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:02:35 +0000

Thanks for the story – it points out so many things. I am new to your blog, and will certainly be reading more!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 04:43:26 +0000

In Madison, students put their unwanted items on the curb and the day is known as “Hippie Christmas” because it is an accepted practice that people (students and non-students alike) will go around and salvage other people’s unwanted stuff.

But really, what a wasteful practice. I remember seeing some kid pull up with a U-Haul to the dorms on moving day once…maybe students need to learn to live with less.

By: Sofía

Sofía — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:04:26 +0000

I just adored this post and like very much what you are doing. The scholarship for social projects is an incredible idea. Too bad I didn´t now before to include it in my story.

You may have wondered what happened with the interview for the mexican magazine you did months ago. It will come out on February. I promise I´ll either scan it for you or mail it so you can have a copy. Thanks for your time it was great to talk to you.

Happy New Year

Sofia Macias

By: Jonathan Tsai

Jonathan Tsai — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:22:06 +0000

Way to dig up old posts of your own. Never read this one, so thanks for pointing us to it. Good stuff!

By: Ethan Bloch

Ethan Bloch — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 04:24:20 +0000

This is extremely well put Ramit, and pretty deep. Being rich isn’t just about making money for ourselves. It is important we have an abdundace in all aspects of life, not just [insert your currency here].

Have a Happy New Year!

Ethan