We all like things to be convenient. From our foods to our shopping to our entertainment. It has simply become easier to leave it to someone else to provide the solutions to our problems. But in doing so, we have created another ugly truth – namely, that our lives are left in someone else’s hands.
Now, we obviously can’t all be doctors, so having faith in the expertise of others is a necessity, but there are ways we can improve our self-sufficiency. Perhaps this should begin at our own doorstep; after all, do or we really know how anything in our homes actually works Doesn’t it seem a bit strange that the maintenance of our personal retreats is generally left to the hands of complete strangers
For this reason learning how to carry out light repairs is about empowerment as much as anything else. It is about finding our own solutions to the problems that we normally leave to others. More and more people are using their gardens as spaces to grow their own produce, thereby freeing themselves – at least to a degree – from an over-reliance on supermarkets. Others take dressmaking or sewing courses out of a desire to make the garments or accessories they would like to wear. Surely it should be no different for our homes
Unfortunately, however, there is a danger that the benefits of DIY courses will go undiscussed thanks to the stereotypes that associate (and thereby limit) home improvement with vague and outdated notions of masculinity. The notion that men should be the ones to fix things around the house is obsolete and does not reflect modern living: it is simply another kind of self-limiting convenience. Real people, in a real society, are much more complex than that. Women are more independent and family dynamics have changed.
Another important factor is cost. We are all trying to save a few pennies wherever and whenever we can. With many people on (or perilously close to) the breadline, unnecessary spending creates additional pressures that most of us would prefer to avoid. However, there are ways of easing the burden, but only if we are prepared to invest some time, money and energy. It will all be well spent.
