# 20
The entanglement of waste and social rank
The word “Abfall” in German means “refuse” or “waste” (garbage, rubbish), or, literally, “that which has fallen down.”
Does everything that touches the ground automatically become unwanted and turn into waste?
The semiotics of waste seem to be deeply rooted in a dynamic of verticality—in the downward movement of things. It is therefore hardly surprising that class and cultural politics are structured in a similar way, along the spectrum of above and below.
Dall’Introduzione alla mostra The Gleaners, Krone Couronne, 2023Invitations to contemplate these words and play with your thoughts
What if we tell a different history
Collections that include this source
This quote has been selected as part of one of the thematic collections of Alterlibrary, titled Entangled Matters.
In this collection, we gather inspirations that invite us to look beyond the boundaries separating nature and society, humans and non-humans, individuals and their environments. We explore how thought, knowledge and imagination emerge through networks of relationships and interdependencies — and what we might learn from thinking of societies as ecosystems.
Here you can explore the collection Entangled Matters.
