This happens in many communities.
A newbie joins the community or chat group...
And asks the same old questions which have been discussed for countless times each and every time a newbie joins.
This happens in the financial planning community...
When some newbie wants to do financial planning and asks... How much do you need to save ar?
Or how to buy insurance ar? Or which insurance to buy? Or how much do you need to spend? etc etc...
Now, asking questions is great, that's the way to learn stuff, but an open question like that is going to irritate a lot of people especially if it is in a group chat where 100s of people have to read the same question and discussion all over again.
I think it's just polite to read up old threads or discussions or learn a little bit more about the topic before popping a super generic question which has no right or wrong answer and just hoping to get a straight out yes or not answer.
In financial planning, someone could save $100k and it might be enough for him as long as he dumpster dives and takes up a part time retirement job.
Or someone else might need $5m to generate passive income so that he can live a high life...
As I'm part of the freegan chats, this happens very very often but on freegan topics...
People join the group and ask something like... Oh I have a XYZ item which has expired for 1 year is it ok to consume???
And the thing that crosses my mind is... this is the wrong question... the question is... is XYZ item bad? If it is bad, then it is NOT ok to consume.
The date doesn't mean anything. The identifier which tells whether something is edible or not is the condition of the item, not the date on the packaging.
And then the more experienced freegans might say that it is ok to eat, just test a bit and if it tastes fine then consume it...
But THEN... other newbies in the group would say... oh it's expired for 1 year, better not, better be safe than sorry, else see doctor then not worth already...
Here's where I roll my eyes... cos... if you're not willing to learn or challenge old ideas, then... what are these folks doing in the freegan community?
These folks are the folks who just want the free stuff, but when they see the stuff, they get fussy and think... oh it looks too old, it's stained, etc etc...
This is similar to financial planning when someone says, you only need to save $500k and invest with 5% return, then you get $25k per month in returns and you can live fairly comfortably...
Then a newbie might say... but is $500k enough? Where got investments which give 5% return, cannot be la. Must be risky investments... etc etc...
It's at these folks that I roll my eyes again, cos... these people already have their own preconceived ideas of what they need. But they are insecure and when they join the community, they want to hear the answers that they have come to believe is correct, and when people tell them crazy ideas, they reject it to say it is not possible or "No la, I am not willing to live like that..."
If everything not willing to do then might as well go live a normal consumer life lor...
We get the same questions like... isn't dumpster diving dirty, you will get sick, etc etc...
Which our response is, if you are scared, you can wear gloves and a N95 mask when you dumpster dive, that's your choice...
Then instead of saying "ok, yes, or no" they will continue... my professional friend recommends that we don't do this because... legally XYZ, or medically XYZ... etc etc.
And in my mind, I think... this person likely joined the community after seeing Daniel Tay's interviews on various media platforms, they already know what he does... so why are they so concerned now that they have chosen to join the community?
So the question again isn't about getting sick or dirt...
The question should be rephrased to be... HOW should I do this safely? How does the community take care of themselves when doing such activities.
It's like when someone asks in the finance community, is $1m enough for retirement? IF you fall sick one time then all wiped out already... and then the more experienced people in the community will again roll their eyes and say... that's what insurance is for...
And some people will continue to try to poke holes in the use of insurance... and at this point the thoughts running through my mind would be... "AIYAH you just go back and work la. Just work til you're 70."
There's pretty much 2 points here.
1) Newbies tend to ask the same questions which have at many times been addressed...
2) Even after hearing the answers, they don't believe it... although they themselves chose to join whatever community.
Of which I think... then WHY do these people join the community? It's like they want to learn something but don't want to learn it. Then go back to how they've been living their lives lor.
Anyway, I gotta go to Pasir Panjang to collect vegetables for my this week's food.
Maybe I'll post again if I get back early.
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