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Rubbish Theory

Rubbish theory was introduced in 1979 by British social scientist Michael Thompson. It is a body of thought that addresses how the value of material objects is socially constructed and deconstructed. Ever since, scholars in a variety of academic fields have utilized rubbish theory within their own disciplines. An awareness of rubbish theory is important to the understanding of the sociology of consumption and waste because, while what is and is not considered garbage may seem obvious and natural, the value of objects is based on the perceptions of people. Distinguishing between what is considered valuable versus without value is present in all cultures, and a certain degree of consensus between members of a society as to what is of value is recognized as being an important element for the maintenance of social order.

Tenets

The central tenet of rubbish theory is that objects belong to one of three categories. Two of the categories, called “transients” and “durables,” are socially visible. A durable is an object that is, ideally, always increasing in value and has an infinite lifespan; a transient is an object that decreases in value and therefore has a finite lifespan. The classic examples of these categories are the durable 18th-century Queen Anne tall-boy chest and the transient used automobile. What decides whether or not something is a durable or transient is often the perceptions of the powerful members of society, those with a vested interest in owning objects whose value will always increase, while the remainder of society owns objects whose value will eventually decrease to nothing. Between these two categories, however, there exists what Michael Thompson refers to as a “region of flexibility” where actions toward an object can lead to even similar objects being placed in either category. Thompson illustrates this with a comparison of a “secondhand” versus an “antique” vase. Once the value and lifespan of a transient object reach zero, that object enters the third category, that of “rubbish.” Rubbish is a covert category because, through unspoken social agreement, it is both valueless and invisible, and it is normally expected to remain so permanently.

The key assertion of rubbish theory is that objects that decline in value and life-span until they enter the rubbish category do not always remain there. Rather, Thompson argues that becoming rubbish can allow what was once a transient to eventually become a durable, a transfer of categories that would otherwise be impossible. This process is illustrated well using an automobile. An automobile is a transient, purchased with the knowledge that its value and lifespan will decrease over time. Eventually, people's perceptions of the automobile will change from “new” to “used” to “worthless,” and it will become rubbish. It is possible that after an indeterminate length of time, the automobile will be rediscovered and become “antique,” or a “classic.” If this happens, the auto enters the category of durable, beginning a new lifespan and increasing in value. This is significant because transients cannot directly transfer into durables.

Implications

Rubbish theory has several important implications for those seeking to better understand the sociology of consumption and waste. There is the need to focus greater attention on waste itself, not just the processes of acquisition and consumption. This is particularly important in both past and contemporary societies stratified by material wealth, since the shift of an object from rubbish to durable bypasses the powerful in societies’ control of determining the value of material objects. An interesting concept Thompson introduced was that rubbish theory could also be used when looking at perceptions and relationships between different social groups.

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