Shredders

I dislike shredders. Not the actual unit/machine because they work very well. It's the reason behind their use that is so repugnant! Until a very few years ago, we could throw everything away in the trash or recycle bin without the worry of someone trying to steal one's identity. Now anything written that may or may not link to your personal stuff has to be shredded. I guess the younger generation does not give this a second thought. However, all those "of a certain age" do know a better time when it was possible to simply discard/recycle anything without shredding first. There was only one incident about 25 years ago when I caught the garbage men (forgive me for being politically incorrect even though that was what we actually called the men who picked up the garbage) rifling through my garbage. Though normally mild mannered a la Clark Kent, I flew into a rage, chased them down the road and cut them off with my VW Bug (not the latest version that comes with with the plastic dashboard flower). I demanded an explanation for this invasion of privacy, and their answer was that they suspected me of bringing in garbage from another town!!! Beside the fact that I live and work in the same town, I found their motive unacceptable and gave them a piece of my mind. The problem never reocurred- probably because they did not want to mess with a psycho woman at 6:30 AM ever again. Was that garbage collection a harbinger of the household shredder?

from where this shrill voice the color of lightning