"The Uncommon Life of Common Objects" Journal (SEEING 1)

    In Akiko Busch's, The Uncommon Life of Common Objects, presents the idea of what value objects hold in one's life. Everyday, people around the world have connections to many different objects that hold some sort of influence over them. Many of these objects carry memories, and bring us joy, sadness, hope or whatever the context may be, many objects cannot be accounted for value because of the impressions it has left on the owner. Busch says, "we assign merit to things" (Busch 114) and these things can become priceless over the years as your connection to that object grows over time. However, assigning value to an object depends on the person. It could be valued in a certain amount of money from when you first get it (i.e. a long term investment) or it could grow to this priceless value that can never be met because it holds so much value in your life. Everyone views this differently, but everyone assigns some sort of value to objects, no matter how useless or useful they may be.

    Busch describes both sides of the coin when it comes to the value of objects. At first beginning with talking about the American collectibles market, which acquires over $10 billion annually (Busch 115). With a lot of these items being collectibles from well-known people, or something that is hard to acquire after a certain time and is now made available, they use these items to turn a profit––focusing less on sentimental value. Although they do consider how it became in possession of the owner, where it was found, what condition it is in and more, Busch seems to fixate more towards monetary value in these cases. In a lot of these cases though, they have to consider the family, and try to allow a comfortable retirement, or put someone through college if the object holds such value. All of these factors go into determining the value of the object, but only through monetary means. It does not completely stress all of the sentimental value is may hold for the owner, but again, it all depends on who and what it is.

    People even find monetary value in tragedy's such as debris from the World Trade Center, items from slavery and more, Busch brings this idea of "sensationalizing tragedy" (Busch 119). Objects do not only hold monetary value, but stories as well and these stories hold value within the object. People look to these objects for a sentimental value through memory, because as we view a certain object, we are really able to draw certain memories into our minds that bring a feeling that only the object can establish. Objects are a way of recording time and maintaining time. They hold a history within them, and it is within human nature to collect these things, because everyone is a part of this 'collectibles' market (Busch 120). Everyone has some object that tells a story, holds some type of sentimental value, and could very well become valuable in the future if history becomes a part of it.