Going without
Honorable until it's martyr-y?
I was reminded of the Depression-era phrase “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without” today. It has an honorable upcycling sprit and while I will be among the first to criticize hyperconsumerism and the planned obsolescence of products, there’s also sort of a shadow thread of undeservedness one could pick up on in there. Both things can be true.
For this prompt, write into the range of that. Perhaps you want to write about thrifting or sewing your own clothes or growing your own vegetables and other ways you opt-of of some part of consumerism that you’re damn proud to do, or maybe you want to write about struggling to feel worthy of anything beyond just getting by… or anything in that wide swath of the middle that this brings up for you. Let’s go.