Waste often conceals a narrative about social norms and power dynamics that we tend to ignore. It’s mixed in with the leftover odds and ends from our daily lives that we toss aside and hope to never have to see or speak of again. This mundane seeming action of throwing something out is far more complex then surface levels show. One big example of this that we talked about last class is the use of it in protests. Activists block the street with garbage or stage disruptive protests that bring attention to trash and the trash crisis. Seemingly one of the easiest ways to get attention as no one can ever fully ignore piles of stinky in your face garbage. Police use the disorganization of waste in less marginalized communities that don’t have the money as  an excuse to crack down twice as hard on the community. Justifying their actions by saying that these areas are disorderly due to their waste and therefore they are in the right for heightened surveillance and control.

It’s a harsh reminder that even in the seemingly mundane normal actions, power dynamics are hard at work shaping our perceptions and interactions in ways you might not fully be aware of.