www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkpGQUflBwU
This youtube link is an example of a number that has some historicity. People actually pay to have this number!! But why? It's just a random number like anyone else's right?
WRONG. This awesome song makes people want the number because a band made this memorable jingle to it. :)
And now it shall be stuck in your head all day. Mwahahaha.
On a more serious note:
When it comes down to historicity VS contemporary.. It makes one wonder why a piece of history attached to an object really matters at all if it is compared to a replica that achieves the same purpose of use or aesthetics. In all honesty, it would make life boring if certain objects didn't hold more meaning. The world would just constantly be moving forward, throwing away the old (this would mean ancient civilizations too), and keep making new objects.
It can be safe to assume that many people enjoy finding deeper meaning in life rather than the surface--and one form of this is holding more meaning in an object once the history of it is learned.
It is not necessarily a bad thing, however it could be more expensive for the person. It creates more jobs (antique stores, people to restore and preserve the items, places that certify that the item is really what it is, etc) , it creates museums.
However silly it may seem that Lady Gaga's sweaty gym sock would be framed in someone's room or that 867-5309 is a number that people want because a band made it popular (even though so many people call this number as a prank!!), it gives a little more meaning to the monotony of life.
Would you agree?
I agree with your post. Historicity gives objects meaning that otherwise we wouldn't care less about. I do agree that certain objects, like Lady Gaga's gym sock or a piece of Justin Bieber's hair, do not hold meaning to me and therefore I think that they are valuable, but who I am to judge what matters to others? To each his own. Historicity allows us to have museums and to value our own culture. Many other cultures view very highly the importance of historicity, and are therefore more in touch with who their ancestors were, and ultimately who they are according to their family's past. As Americans, generally we are less focused on our own culture, and many argue that as Americans we don't have a culture, but the lack of historicity in that sense also shapes us as Americans and as individuals. Historicity does give more meaning to our lives, and gives value to cultures, but it also can turn a random object into a prized possession that makes no sense to others. People on ebay use this to turn a profit that many see an unethical, such as when they stalk celebrities to get autographs in order to sell them for a high price online.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love that song and I admit that I have prank called that number before..