DBA123, post class 2/3

Today in class when we discussed Benjamin’s article Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, we discussed how the more and more we reproduce something, the value of it is lost. In class we used Mona Lisa as an example; because everyone has seen a reproduction of it and knows what makes it special, this famous painting has lost value to the viewer. But is this true? I can’t count how many times I have seen I have seen a replica of Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, but when I did see the real version for the first time, I was still in awe and amazed by this work of art. I began to think about this notion and applying it to everyday life. Almost everyday for lunch I have the same thing, a turkey sandwich. Now, because I reproduce the same sandwich on a regular basis, has it lost value to me? Most definitely not. On many school nights, I have a routine of getting into bed and watching T.V. Depending on the hour, I know that Sex and the City or That 70’s Show reruns will be on and will automatically flip to those channels. These shows have continued to be replayed for years and, for me, it doesn’t matter if I have seen the episode already five times, I will watch it.

In class we talked about how the value of something is entirely political. What the highest bidder will pay is what it is worth. We discussed even how becoming engaged in our culture has become somewhat political. A ritual that has been practiced for centuries is now not complete without the purchase of a diamond ring. Although this post is far fetched from what we discussed this morning and the things I mentioned do not fall into the same category as the high valued objects from class, it made me think. If we take a step back and examine our own rituals and objects, how much do we value them? Before I cannot say I put a lot of thought into how much I valued my own objects and rituals but the more and more I continue or “reproduce” my own daily routine I realize that it is priceless.