Tag: Everyday Object Discussion

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I was in the seventh grade the first time I ran a competitive race. I had never been athletically inclined before this. However when we lined up on the start line and the gun went off, I became a whole new athlete. I started from the back and slowly progressed to the front counting off the girls ponytails as I passed. The laps started to decrease and soon I was down to one left. I sprinted as fast as I could for the last four hundred meters until there was nobody in front of me. When I crossed the finish line not only had I beaten all of the girls but all of the boys as well. Looking back this was a life changing event because I found my athletic niche, a place where I belonged. Now I run on the roads but the reward is just the same when I finish my run as it was that spring day in the seventh grade.

For my everyday object discussion I chose a red scrunchie.  This red scrunchie plays has a critical role in my life. Honestly, I do not know what to do without it. It performs the simple act of keeping my hair out of my face but in reality it does so much more. This red scrunchie keeps me put together and my life together. Its circular form reflects the cycle that I go through everyday in which without this red scrunchie I could not perform my daily deeds as adequately. This red scrunchie shows how important man made object are in our lives. Something as small as a scrunchie or toothbrush are crucial for our existence as clean and refined human beings. However, my dependency on my hair scrunchie exemplifies the human vast reliance on man made goods and if they were suddenly taken away, we would not know how to respond. The scrunchie is essential to those with long hair in addition to acting as a fashion statement. Something as small as a hair scrunchie can exhibit class and cost. It shows how humans have the innate nature to constantly compete.

For the Everyday Object Class Discussion, I chose an exit sign.  When thinking about it literally, an exit sign serves a simple purpose: to direct people to the nearest exit of a building.  However, when delving deeper into its significance and meaning within our society, it becomes a quite interesting object.  In the library at Bucknell alone, there are close to 50 exits signs.  It shows how our society thinks extremely highly of safety and allowing people to feel safe in a time of need.  They are always lit up even if power goes out, showing how much money and power people are willing to invest in their own security.  However, it could also be indicative of our society’s impatience and unwillingness to find a way out or even just remember the door in which they entered.  Most of these signs go unnoticed on a daily basis; however, when someone is in a building they are unfamiliar with, or in a time of emergency the can seem to stick out much more than on an average day.  While they originated to serve their purpose in times of emergency, they are rarely needed and are thus used to guide unfamiliar visitors.

Every Bucknell student is very different in many ways but what they will always have in common is that they will have one of these bad boys in their dorm. When I look at a Bucknell Chair I see a mixture of ingenuity and simples. It’s would biased design gives us a that simple classic look, while its slight angled bottom gives it its clever flare to it. When I think Bucknell Chair, I think of comfort during times when we need them most, say for example an all-night cram session. This chair also makes me think of its reliability, as a Bucknell student can always count on finding one of these where ever a desk is nearby. In a way Bucknell chairs represent Bucknell students; simple yet complex, relaxing and when need be hard working.

My everyday Object is a computer. To Me the computer is Representative of the great technological achievements man kind has made through time. As i look deeper into the computer i begin to realize that it also represents inequality. Its ability to pull up information on virtually anything that comes to mind is extraordinary. The truth is that most people cannot afford this luxury and their for are missing out on the luxury of knowledge. this Shows that knowledge comes at a price and those who are not able to pay that price because of their own wealth are missing out on life. The computer is another example of mankind’s greed.

My everyday item was my set of headphones.  They provide us with the ability to listen to various types of media and entertainment.  Whether it be the creative works of a favorite musical artist, the score to a movie or even hearing the voice of a friend on the other side of their computer screen; these listening devices are an important part of today’s world.  They come in all sorts of colors, makes, styles and sizes.  These “ear-muff” styled headphones are made from plastic, rubber, some metal and wiring. And yet, different as they may be in appearance and style, they all have the same sort of value.  When I use these to listen to some of my favorite music, it can help to put me in a good mood that can carry the whole way throughout my day.  They can allow me to remember a friend’s voice over a video call who I haven’t heard from in a while.  They way that these connect us with today’s fast-paced world around us is an invaluable quality that I think can prove to be important to everyone.

The backpack or rucksack, in its simplest form, is a cloth sack carried on one’s back secured with two straps that go over the shoulders. I have grown to appreciate the practical albeit – in my opinion – not so stylish uses for this particular backpack. Known for its sturdy outdoor gear, Eastern Mountain Sports, is the maker of my blue carry-all. With its soft adjustable, foam straps,  smaller internal and external compartments, two sided water bottle carriers, and chest/ hip strap, it truly is my ideal bag for both athletics and school work. I normally carry a heavy load of a filled water bottle, change of clothes, books, cell phone, pens etc inside especially when travelling straight from class to crew practice. I first made the switch from an over the shoulder bag to this gem when my normal carrier became too strained with the weight of all its contents. Ever since then my backpack has seen many miles of walking and even running, crossed a several oceans, and been through the wash a few times after taking it to muddy crew regattas. With its useful practicality,  it is in worldwide use especially being identified with students and people for whom load bearing is apart of their daily lives, like soldiers.

The everyday object I selected was the “rollie-chair” I have at my desk.  While there aren’t a wide array of uses for the chair, there are various aspects of the chair’s makeup that are interesting to examine.  The first would be the wheels on the chair, which indicate that those who produced the chair had a goal of mobility in mind.  The cushion on the seat part of the chair, as well as the mesh back, also indicate another one of the integral purposes of the chair: comfort.  The fact that both of these parts of the chair are soft and have give to them, rather than rigid, demonstrates that the chair is intended to be ergonomically efficient for the person using it.  The final aspect would be the arm rests.  The presence of these tell us that the chair is meant to be used during activities other than hankering away at a keyboard or notebook, as the producer of the chair provided the consumer with a place to put his or her arms while at rest, indicating that the chair can be sat in while relaxing or viewing things on a screen such as television or movies.  Many conclusions can be drawn from a chair if one moves beyond the rather one dimensional view of it as simply a seat.

My everyday object is a handmade ceramic mug. While a coffee mug is usually put into the category with someone whose life is high-speed and chaotic, this specific mug has slightly different aura. It is not mass manufactured, nor is it a specific measurement which contrasts what a generic coffee thermos is. The inside glaze does not overlap the outside color. It is not a typical shape, and the handle is definitely unique. There is also a handwritten message on the bottom. So, what does this say about the mug and the person who made it? I would describe the mug as carefree, yet with a great amount of attention having been paid to details. The person who made it was creative and innovative using a handle varying from the typical. They also used various glazes that go together well, showing that thought was put into the gift and that the person is artistic. This also tells us that the maker cares about who the mug was for. With this put into consideration, the mug probably belongs to someone who has a fast pace life, but also takes time to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life.

 

 

My everyday object is a pen, as well. I believe this simple tool provides more than just a mark on an object but the uniqueness of the person using it. Its functions are vast in that ones imagination determines its usefulness. Whether it is conveying a message on a piece of paper (story, notes, etc.), used as a pointer for an educator, or a chewing tool to help quit the habit of smoking, a pen can provide both comfort and functionality to someone. A pen comes in multiple styles, which can associate with an individuals personality. Although, unlike the saying “it only matters what’s on the inside” I believe that the outside of a pen tells a great story. Pens come in different shapes, sizes and colors. They have different bite marks, broken pieces, all of which make up your lucky/favorite ones from your not so favorite ones.  Unless that pen is actually shown to you, one cannot describe what it looks like by just the ink that comes out of it. I believe that a pen is something that has evolved to an instrument that everyone can use due to accessibility and commonality and it is one of the smaller things in life that can bring people together.

 

Plastic bags are a pretty common item in every household. They make their way into our homes by holding our recent purchases, notably grocery items. Originally presented as an easy solution, being a convenient way to carry groceries and being inexpensive to make in large quantities, they have now become a problem, being the symbol of domestic pollution. They still remain versatile, being often re-used as trash bags or to put shoes in luggage. Their disposable nature results in the odd fact that despite being around constantly, a single trash bag remains in someone’s possession for a very limited amount of time. Another interesting fact is that they usually come with fresh food, and leave filled with our trash, becoming an integral part of the grocery shopping process.

 

This here is the common ink pen. While it is not capable of shooting lasers out of its tip, giving its user super strength or the abilit to fly (that would all be really cool), it is still a pretty amazing object. No offense to the pencil of course. The ink pen, however, to me is a tool of imagination. Entire worlds and civilizations, such as Atlantis, Wonderland and even the spell-binding world of Harry Potter, were all literally created out of thin air. All with the help of a pen, and some imagination. Pens can also do some pretty powerful stuff here in reality as well. For example, it is a pen that must sign a relief check to get aid for suffering countries around the globe. Also, pens can bring the gift of a suitable education to the young children of those under-priveledged countries. However, whether, it be an author creating a new imaginary world for everyone to enjoy, or a philathropist donating thousands of dollars to aid people, or animals, or whatever in need, or a college student taking down notes to study for the big exam, it is the job of the ink pen to see to it that it gets done. And ofcourse, you can’t forget a bit imagination!

My everyday object may not look like something that we would use every day (a miniature shoe…really? what could that be used for?), but past the outward appearance, it serves as a perfectly useful hammer.  Traditionally, a hammer contains a metal head that looks somewhat like an arc and it has a long handle, relative to the size of its head, that usually provides some sort of comfort to our hands.  This hammer, however, does not fit that description at all.  With only about 15% of it being composed of metal, it instead takes the shape of a high heel that is adorned with rhinestones to give it shine and different shades of blue and white paint.  Dainty and delicate it may seem, but this graceful gizmo is one strong powerhouse.  It allows me to hammer nails into my wall so that I can hang anything from lights to picture frames.  It gives me the ability to fix a disassembled chair or the strength to crush up chocolate for my favorite cheesecake recipe.  Aside from indicating my love for shoes, this little guy or “girl,” for that matter, really provides me with so much freedom, power, and opportunity to express myself to the world.  The greatness of any person, place, or thing is determined by its meaning from within.  But, who says you can’t have both?  It’s always fun to add a little visual spice to enhance originality and style of anything!

My everyday object is a water bottle. Regardless of its color, size, and shape, it is universally used to store some type of liquid. Consuming liquids is essential to our proper functioning as 75% of our brains are composed of water. As a result, I fill my water bottle with water and try to consume at least three full bottles a day. This water bottle represents my efforts to stay healthy and hydrated as well as the collective efforts of our community to save the environment by shying away from disposable plastic water bottles and reusing water bottles instead. Unlike a cell phone, a water bottle is not prohibited from class – thus it goes everywhere with me. Whether I am asleep on my bed or running on the treadmill, my water bottle is always an arm’s reach away from me. One’s water bottle can also say a lot about his or her personality as there are a variety of styles to choose from. It can tell a story by the condition it’s in and by the stickers that are attached to it. A water bottle is a basic necessity that one can embellish in any way to express oneself.

My everyday object is a paper plate.  A plate is something commonly used at meal times and social gatherings.  To me it represents the extremes of individuals in our society who have more than enough food, to those who don’t have enough money to put food on the table.  It represents the oxymoron of saving our planet.  While we use trees to make these paper plates, we throw away left over food, which is on them.  These plates come in different colors, shapes and sizes.  The type of plate chosen shows what type of event that is taking place and/or the social class of the individuals. The plate represents a child’s Halloween mask made in school and the creativity of our future. To me it is what I have my snack on in my dorm room, which is a clean white plate, which keeps my lap free of the food that is on it.  The simplicity of a white paper plate represents many complex facets of our society.

This everyday object is a small notebook.  I use it to jot down important thoughts during the day that I know I won’t remember later on. It’s extremely flexible in terms of use and value. To the world it’s just a stack of papers. For quick notes, math problems, maybe even sheets to throw out old gum. To a company somewhere it’s a hope for some nice profits. To me it’s a backup plan, a second memory, and absolutely invaluable. The pictures show the thoughts of the designers. It’s what they thought would appeal most to consumers and get their product sold. It’s a very unassuming block that can be as important, or unimportant, as you make it.

Objects are meaningful.  If one examines an object in a detective-like fashion, one can identify clues which say something about the values, methods, and objectives of the culture which created it. Remember the example that was given in class, and how the plastic trash can speaks volumes about our contemporary society’s consumerist tendencies, our reliance on oil, and our relationship with the environment—the trash can has meaning, it is connected with a larger system, and it evidences the values and methods of our culture.

Your assignment is to choose an everyday object from your surroundings and reflect deeply about its function, its relevance, its meaning within our culture.  Be prepared to present your object and discuss its significance in class.

Here are instructions for adding your everyday object post to this website:

1. Create a new post by clicking up above on the “+ New” button.
2. Once the post screen comes up, check the “Everyday Object Discussion” box to the right to put the post in the right category
3. Upload a photo of the object you’ve chosen by clicking on the upload/insert button above the text field (remember to click the “insert into post” button while you’re on the upload screen)
4. Write a few sentences describing the meaning that you see in the object you’ve chosen.
5. Be prepared to present your object and discuss its significance in class.