We must be seekers of truth

Do you know those commercials that show some horrible mishap at home, then it proceeds to sell you the most amazing product ever? You think, “How did I ever survive before the advent of [blank]?” If you watch commercial and infomercials, you’d begin to wonder how our species has survived this long with all the cataclysms that await us without these must-have items.

Then the person in the commercial becomes enthralled by the new and improved product that they spent their money on because of how it has…changed their existence until the end of all time?

Things like, Swiffer dusters…you know, those fancy little fluffy dusters that trap dust and won’t let go?

LIES!!!

They don’t trap dust, they just smear it about until you get irritated just enough to get a new one out of the box and then four or five swipes later, that one is smearing dust about as well instead of trapping it as advertised.

It all goes back to the old adage that everything in this world is designed to separate you from your money.

We’ve been using Swiffers for years and today while dusting I shook it like in the ubiquitous commercials that exist and then found myself bent-over picking up the dust-bunnies that flew out of it and grumbling about how advertising is all lies and what a fool I was.

I’m about two shakes of a Swiffer duster to go back to an old fashioned feather duster!

These things aren’t expensive per say, but when you compare how long a feather duster will last compared to these disposable things, the difference is vast. We get a box of 18 every three months through Amazon Subscribe and Save. A box costs about $12.00, so each duster costs roughly $0.67 give or take. Chump change really.

Now think back to the feather duster your grandparents probably had (if you’re my age) and guess how long they probably had it. Like since forever, right?

Maybe not so much…

Maybe not, I just did a bit of research and found that feather dusters are considered disposable as well. Just like your Swiffer duster, your shower poof, and your toothbrush, they’re all designed to be tossed away and replaced at some point.

I replace my toothbrush and shower poof religiously. Think about it, they’re the things designed to get you clean, after a few weeks of use, they need tossed. I must remember never to look at either of these things through a microscope.

Maybe the duster my grandparents had was made better. You always hear people say, “they sure don’t make them like the used to.” Maybe we (as a species) didn’t know that throwing things out and replacing them was a good thing. Maybe the animal rights people did a good thing and stood up for ostriches everywhere and shouted, “enough is enough; no more plucking!” Who knows?

It’s easy to get spun-up over something when you don’t have all the answers.

First reports from the field are hardly ever accurate. I always make it a point to breathe and wait until more information comes in from my troops before reacting. I’ve never found a first report to be accurate (which includes the whole truth).

In fact, I like thinking about what I would do in that instance, then waiting for more information. Then, I like to gauge what unintended consequences my initial reaction would have caused.