Yannai to Stuff: I’m Sorry.
To my dear Kitchen Knife, and to your colleagues in the stuff community that makes up my material possessions:
I apologize for not finding value in you, and for not utilizing all of your potential before going out to buy new and “improved” versions of you. I am sorry that I always feel like I need more stuff, when so much of the stuff that I already have is really good enough.
Kitchen Knife, while I will continue to use my grippy vegetable knife more than you, I very much appreciate your sharing your story, and will remember it when dealing with stuff in the future. I believe you to be a courageous ambassador for stuff worldwide, and bless you with a restful future in your drawer, where you can lie peacefully and proudly till the end of your days.
I thank you,
Yannai
(To read the Kitchen Knife’s Story, click here)
To all of my readers: In honor of my kitchen knife, and in the name of all the wasted stuff out there, I’d like you to do something. I think this can be very powerful:
Please think of something- some stuff that you own, but don’t really use, and issue it an apology, in the form of a comment on this page, similar to the above apology to my kitchen knife. You can apologize to a shirt, a pair of shoes, a pot, a shelf, a CD, a humidifier, an old baseball glove or whatever else.
Imagine a page full of apologies from humans to stuff, committing to a more efficient and responsible usage of stuff in the future. The kitchen knife and all his friends will be so proud!
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Tags: Apology to Stuff, Kitchen Knife, Stuff
January 25th, 2008 at 3:28 am
This post really brought back memories of the famous Yannai philosophy of “doing stuff”. I wonder if there is any connection between this current idea of social responsibility to stuff we don’t use and the once great idea he propogated under the quote “doing stuff”. Perhaps we can suggest that the idea of doing stuff was his great ambition to make use of all stuff at all times and in a sense, assign all stuff a value in the same way he is now asking us to do. Yannai scholars must all consider this possibility and continue with their deep analysis of the issue.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Hi Seth!
Stuff’s one of those great words that can mean all sorts of, well, stuff.
Great hypothesis on doing stuff. You never know…
Thanks for the comment, pal.
Good to hear from you,
Yannai
January 29th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Dear Sweatshirts,
im sorry that i don’t wear you all that much. you’re just sitting in my bottom drawer and well, just sitting there. folded nicely. and i have a bunch of you and you’re all the same but all a bit different. different colors, different sizes, different designs. the truth is, each of you, represent a different memory of mine, a different summer expirience that i’ve had over the last 5-6 years. im happy that you’re still in my life and im happy that i can take you out whenever i want. i wish i used you more often. maybe i would make shifts and everyday wear a different one of you. i dont know. im just happy that you’re here for me whenever i want and i hope we come in contact more often in the future. i know that this relationship depends on me so im going to try and put more of an effort into it. i love you guys a lot! keep warm!! hehe.
January 31st, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Way to be strong, dude. You’re helping to build a better future.
I’d like to encourage everyone to follow in Naftali’s courageous example.
Here’s to appreciating stuff!
Yannai
February 5th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Dear guitar,
Ok, this is hard.
I cant count how many times I have promised to use you every day, and bring my skills to a level worthy of your potential.
All you have enjoyed this past year is a few moments of glory in the hands of Bradley Fish who announced you sufficient for learning, but ultimately not the guitar I want.
Yes, I admit it, I have been cheating on you, playing Brad’s guitars while you sit at home and gather dust.
I could pretend that it isn’t so, but you deserve better than that.
Remember the time I took you out for a few tunes after havdala, and nadiv put his toy guitar in your case? maybe you were hoping to be out for good. Well, nadiv does use his guitar daily, and maybe that means there is hope for you yet when he gets a bit larger than his three year old size.
I am sorry.
Come to think of it, maybe I will start to practice again. But you know better than to get your hopes up, dont you…
Aaron