The South Asian Plastic Protection Phenomenon

A telltale marker of the average 90s middle-class Indian household was the flimsy almost opaque sheet of plastic that protected almost every piece of furniture, electronic device or valuable in the house. It's still pretty ordinary to still go to your grandparent's house and see the TV remote casually wrapped up in plastic - its form almost indistinguishable under the dirty plastic. Or at least that was a distinctive trait of my grandfather's house- much to the annoyance of my sister and I. This extra layer was tasked with the job of “protecting” the object it was covering and making sure it stayed in the condition it was in 15 years ago when it was originally purchased. Watching my sister poke the TV remote aggressively trying to switch the channel from its default setting- the news to her cartoons, I’d say the plastic did little to save it , but my grandparents' insistence on keeping it on remained unfazed.

This tradition of keeping plastic covering on belongings such as furniture, electronics, and other items is often associated with a desire to maintain a sense of newness and cleanliness. In Indian culture, in particular,  preserving the aesthetics and quality of possessions is highly valued, and the plastic covering serves as a way to protect items from dust, dirt, and damage. Additionally, the practice may also stem from a mindset of ensuring the longevity and durability of valuable items, demonstrating a sense of pride in maintaining one's possessions in pristine condition. Moreover, in households where extended families or frequent guests are common, preserving the appearance of belongings may be seen as a way to exhibit respect and hospitality. By keeping items covered, homeowners can offer a sense of freshness and cleanliness to visitors, showcasing a level of care and attention to detail.

But, more than that I think this desire has a psychological basis and stems in particular from something I’d refer to as the middle-class mentality - which manifests in this situation as an expression of frugality and pride taken upon the purchase of a new item. These new items - rare and largely celebrated were seen as sacred and the objective of the plastic covering was to preserve their sanctity. The plastic ensures that the purchase is taken care of until you have squeezed out its last bit of use, an ode to the traditional South Asian, pinching penny until it bleeds and you never spend what you don't have. If that means that every time you move on your own furniture you sound like a farting cow, so be it.

Utilitarianism? 

Shifting the lens a little - another very interesting explanation is the utilitarianism one. To a pure utilitarian, it would make complete sense. A clear plastic that allows you to see the fabric beneath and also protect it, lengthening the life of the furniture and maximising its utility.  As to the aesthetic concern of not being able to feel the fabric, hearing a crunch every time you sit down and then sliding about for a while until becoming as comfortable as someone can be cushioned in plastic, the same utilitarian would say “Too bad – that’s the trade-off for maximizing the utility of your investment”. This is a good example of something that in a certain light makes perfect practical sense, and yet for us covering perfectly good furniture in plastic seems insane and counteractive to its productivity. This definition of utility and comfort has also experienced a pragmatic shift over generations, where we now find utility in things that increase our comfort rather than consider it a trade-off to utility. This might just be one of the most striking differences between our generation and our grandparent's. 

Circling back, The use of plastic in homes is a generational thing tied to moving from limited means to having household items that families worked hard to acquire and were determined to protect. It is a marker of their desire to protect goods they never imagined themselves owning. It shows the worth that these mundane goods hold for them. In a way I think this mentality of preservation, of valuing things and maintaining them, rather than replacing them also kept India’s trash problem curbed in comparison to other countries- it developed an innate sense of preserving rather than replacing.