myrmepropagandistSep 25, 2023

For me, right to to repair isn't just about ewaste, and preventing corporate gouging.

It's about mental health. Being able to fix your gadgets is therapeutic. Empowering. Good for the soul.

In a world full of complex technology it's easy to feel small and helpless. And maybe I'm too much of an idealist, but I think that if everyone could experience the joy of fixing or modifying a gadget now and then we'd all be a little more open minded, a little more daring. A little harder to push around.

Show threadPretty Much
@futurebird so true. We had a TV die a little over 18 months after purchase (days after the warranty expired). It happened on New Year's Eve. The following day, we went to Radio Shack and bought the supplies to replace the capacitors that had swollen on the power supply. It was incredibly empowering (no pun intended) to be able to feel like we had some say. The class action lawsuit and free repairs came years later, probably too late for most people.
Sep 25, 2023 at 4:44pmWeb
Show threadEric LawtonSep 25, 2023

@prettymuch

@futurebird

When I was around 9 yo, our TV had vacuum tubes.

We had an ironmonger's (hardware store) on the next street, just a tiny place in row housing.

It had replacement tubes (valves, we called them), and we'd need one once a year.

My dad was a mechanic. He taught me to fix cars.

I've rebuilt engines, but I look under the hood in mine and wouldn't dare start.