MetaMibs

Shel Silverstein’s "Hector the Collector" tells the story of a man who collects a vast array of unusual and seemingly worthless objects, from jars of toenail clippings and bird beaks to stacks of broken umbrellas and empty cigarette packs.

Despite the apparent worthlessness of his collection, Hector is proud of his possessions and feels a deep sense of satisfaction in owning and displaying them. The poem suggests that Hector's collection may be a source of meaning and purpose in his life, even though others may view it as a strange or pointless obsession - “silly sightless people” Shel labels the uninterested onlookers.

The children’s rhyme can be read as a commentary on the nature of collecting and the value that we place on objects. It suggests that the meaning and value of an object is not always inherent in the object itself, but is instead a product of the desires and aspirations of the collector. It also raises questions about the role of possessions in our lives, and the extent to which they can bring us happiness and fulfillment.

Value & Desire

Value and desire are closely related concepts, as desire is often driven by the perceived value of something. When we desire something, we are drawn to it because we believe that it will provide us with some kind of benefit or fulfillment that we value.

A fundamental concept in human experience, value plays a critical role in shaping our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. It can be both a powerful motivator or a source of conflict, and is a key factor in many social, economic, and cultural processes. It is a subjective and multifaceted concept that can be influenced by a wide range of factors, including personal beliefs, cultural norms, and economic considerations.

Desire is our strong feeling of wanting or wishing for something. It is a powerful motivator of human behavior, driving us to pursue the things that we believe will bring us happiness, pleasure, or fulfillment. Desire can take many forms, from the basic physical desires for food, drink, and shelter, to more complex desires for love, achievement, or self-actualization.

Desire can be both a positive and negative force in our lives. On one hand, it can drive us to accomplish great things, to seek out new experiences and to strive for personal growth and development. On the other, it can lead us into harmful or destructive behaviors, such as addiction, greed, or other self-destructive impulses.

Perceived Value

Perceived value refers to the worth or usefulness that a consumer assigns to a product or service based on their perception of its benefits and drawbacks. It is the subjective assessment that a customer makes about a product, based on the features, quality, and other attributes.

Not simply the cost of the product or service, but rather perceived value is the customer's belief about what they are getting for the money they are spending. For example, a customer may perceive a product as having high value if it provides a unique benefit, such as exceptional quality, durability, or functionality. Conversely, a customer may perceive a product as having low value if it is of poor quality or is not useful to them.

Aristotle on Value

Aristotle discussed the concept of value in his Nicomachean Ethics, where he explored the idea that the value of an object is not inherent in the object itself, but rather is determined by the desires and needs of human beings.

He held that the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve happiness, which he defined as a state of well-being and flourishing. In order to achieve this goal, human beings must fulfill their basic needs and desires, such as the need for food, shelter, and companionship. Aristotle argued that objects that fulfill these needs have value, because they are necessary for the achievement of the ultimate goal of happiness. However, he also recognized that human desires are not limited to basic needs, and that people also value objects for their beauty, rarity, and other qualities. He believed that these objects have value because they provide pleasure and enjoyment, which are also important for human happiness.

Overall, the philosophical forefather’s understanding of value emphasizes the importance of human needs and desires in determining the value of objects, but recognizes that the value of objects can be both practical and aesthetic. His ideas have influenced many later philosophers and economists, and have contributed to our understanding of the complex relationship between human desires, needs, and the value of objects.

Walter Benjamin

Walter Benjamin was a German philosopher, cultural critic, and literary scholar best known for his work exploring the impact of modern technology on society, art, and culture. He was part of the Frankfurt School, a group of scholars who sought to understand the relationship between culture, society, and politics in the early 20th century.

One of Benjamin's most influential works is his 1936 essay, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," in which he argued that the rise of modern technology and mass media has fundamentally transformed the nature of art and the way that it is consumed and valued by society. In this essay, Benjamin argued that the value of a work of art is based on its unique "aura" or sense of authenticity - derived from its history and tradition, as well as its physical presence in a specific time and place. However, he argued that the advent of mass reproduction technologies, such as photography and film, had undermined the aura of the original artwork by allowing for the creation of countless copies that could be consumed by a mass audience.

Benjamin argued that the loss of aura had both positive and negative consequences. On the one hand, he saw the mass reproduction of art as a democratizing force that allowed for wider access to cultural products and the potential for greater social and political change. On the other hand, he worried that the loss of aura would also lead to the commodification of art and the reduction of its value to purely an economic exchange.

Thorstein Veblen

An American economist and sociologist who is best known for his influential book "The Theory of the Leisure Class”, published in 1899. Veblen developed a theory of "conspicuous consumption," in which he argued that individuals engage in lavish spending and ostentatious displays of wealth as a way of signaling their social status to others.

Veblen's ideas have had a lasting impact on the fields of sociology, economics, and cultural studies, and his work continues to be studied and debated today. Some of his key contributions include:

Conspicuous consumption: Veblen argued that individuals engage in conspicuous consumption in order to signal their social status and to distinguish themselves from others. This behavior, he believed, was driven by a desire for prestige and social distinction, rather than purely rational economic self-interest.
The leisure class: Veblen also developed a theory of the "leisure class," in which he argued that members of the upper classes engage in conspicuous leisure, or the display of their ability to engage in nonproductive activities, such as hunting, golfing, or attending the theater. This behavior, he believed, was a way of signaling their social status and distinguishing themselves from the lower classes.
Veblen goods: Veblen introduced the concept of "Veblen goods," which are goods that become more desirable as their price increases. This is in contrast to most other goods, which follow the law of demand, in which demand decreases as price increases.

Other Authors Who Discussed Value

Pierre Bourdieu (1930-2002): The French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu wrote extensively about the social and cultural factors that shape our tastes and preferences, including our preferences for certain types of objects, such as antiques. In his book "Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste," he argued that our taste in objects is shaped by our social position and cultural background, and that our preferences for antiques are often a way of signaling our cultural capital and social status.
John Brewer: An expert on 19th century English high-culture who has written extensively about the history of collecting and the cultural significance of objects, including antiques. In his book "The Pleasures of the Imagination" he explores the role of objects in shaping individual identity and cultural memory, and argues that our interest in antiques is often driven by a desire to connect with the past and to create a sense of continuity with earlier generations.
Susan Pearce: The British museum studies scholar has written extensively about the meanings and values that we ascribe to objects, including antiques. In her book "Interpreting Objects and Collections," she argues that the value of an antique is not just determined by its rarity or age, but also by the meanings and associations that we attach to it. She suggests that objects can have multiple meanings and values, depending on the individual or group that is interpreting them.
William St. Clair (1937-2021): A historian who wrote about the history of the art market and the ways in which the value of objects, including antiques, is determined by economic and social factors. In his book "The Reading Nation in the Romantic Period," he explores the role of collectors and dealers in shaping the market for antiques, and argues that the value of these objects is often determined by their social and cultural significance, rather than their intrinsic qualities.
Susan Sontag (1933-2004): An American writer, filmmaker, and cultural critic who is best known for her influential essays on photography, art, and politics. In her 1964 essay, "Against Interpretation", Sontag argued against the dominant trend in art criticism at the time, which placed a heavy emphasis on the interpretation of works of art. She contended that the focus on interpretation often led to a reduction of the artwork to a set of symbolic or metaphorical meanings, and that this approach ignored the sensual and aesthetic qualities of the work itself.

The Value of Marbles

“Never explain what you do. It speaks for itself. You only muddle it by talking about it.”
– Shel Silverstein

My desire is that you, the reader, can draw conclusions on how the aforementioned ideas relate to the world of marbles, but for posterity:

Marbles do not hold much extrinsic value, in the age of modern video-games there is no longer a hot market for schoolyard toys. However, their intrinsic (perceived) value has never been more prominent - for both vintage machine-made marbles and handmades alike. As Aristotle outlined, the value we place on objects is not always rooted in practicality or usefulness. We commonly find value in items purely for their beauty, rarity, and other qualities.

Walter Benjamin’s work discussing the rise of modern technology and mass media posited that the over-saturation of products and media would stifle the authenticity of art and creativity. Which seems spot on when viewing the gradient in desirability of machine-made marbles throughout the 20th century. It’s of little surprise that transitional marbles, which mark the start of mass-marble-production, continue to rise on the metaphorical Marble Top 100. As marble production techniques advanced and new firms entered the market, the perceived value of the marbles produced declined; due to both unequal supply/demand and a lag in creativity.

The modern boro-mib market is a great example of Veblen’s leisure class and conspicuous consumption. What purpose do these marbles serve other than being displays or investments? Typically none, yet it’s not uncommon for marbles to sell for the price of a used Honda. Which is not meant to detract from the work that marble-makers produce, it is well-known by collectors that these marbles take dozens to hundreds of hours to complete and thus the prices reflect.

I think it’s apparent to most, the perceived value of marbles seems to be growing and likely not going to disappear. When considering the 100-200 year history of marbles to the multi-thousand year legacy of the glass medium as a whole, marbles are still very much in their infancy and it will be interesting to see what rolls out in the future.

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