The thesis statement of “Living Simply in a Dumpster” is the idea that people do not need much to live deliberately and the issues with the impact that our day-to-day lives have on the environment. The rest of the profile supports the thesis statement since it illustrates how the professor has built a home out of a dumpster. The size of this living space and the number of necessities that he kept there shows that a person can survive with the bare minimum. However, the professor started out by sleeping on cardboard and having no additional things to improve the living conditions inside of this metal box. However, eventually, the professor added a sunroof and other commodities to keep off the rain and have a more comfortable experience. This, perhaps, is a testament to the innate human drive to have a comfortable living space.
In “Living Simply in a Dumpster,” what caught my attention was the photos of the professor in the dumpster, where he used carpets and decorations to make his new home cozy. For me, this means that, indeed, a person can live in a very small space and have everything they need there, but we still have the drive to make these living spaces good-looking and comfortable. Thus, I found the subject of this reading very interesting because it prompted me to think about how much comfort a person actually needs.
For this story, the visuals were essential for me to understand the context of “dumpster living.” This is because when I read the heading of this story, I imagined a dirty small metal box where this professor was living. However, the photos and the sketches of how this living space will be transformed helped me understand the concept much better. Other helpful visuals could be photos of the space around the dumpster or illustrations of other similar projects. As for the personal connection, I do not think I would be comfortable in such a tiny space. The main issues for me are the lack of a toilet and shower, which Wilson plans on installing in the nearest future. Apart from that, I would lack a space where I can relax and read, and a table for work.