Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jared Chafetz on October 13, 2012 at 12:23pm

 I almost never stop to think about where my belongings come from. When buying an item from a store, I may look at what country is was made from, but most of the time, that fact does not affect my purchase. There are worldwide companies now that make many of the items that are used everyday, such as technology. Many of the laptops and computers that we use have parts that are made in Taiwan. Just because it is not made in the United States does not mean that the quality is any less. Local manufacturing might be better for the economy, but as long as certain companies have their home bases in other countries, the products will be made over there. It is interesting that when we discuss where something comes from, we think about where it is made, although there is usually much more to it than that.

Where a belonging comes from does not simply stop at where it is made. All products have to be designed before they are manufactured, and that often means that the product has been all over the world. Design teams in the home country work with teams from all over the world to make something. The teams often consult people to get feedback and opinions. The person who had the idea for the product in the first place could have been anywhere in the world when they thought of it. This means that the product could have come from anywhere, and if the person received inspiration for the idea, that product could be traced back even farther.

Permalink Reply by Timothy Cha on October 13, 2012 at 1:31pm

I rarely stop to think about where my belongings come from.  The reason people find value in their belongings is because it may be associated with their family or some memorable event that occurred in their own lives.  The item itself holds back many memories and experiences, which the owner finds value. In the Vintage Traveler's blog site, I agree that reblogging or "repinning" a photo can take it out of its own context.  This made me think back when I used to have my own Tumblr account.  I enjoyed re-posting photos, but I never took the time to figure out where the original source for the photo was from.  I was blind from the fact that maybe the photo dealt with something larger and more meaningful, instead of just being pleasing to the mind.  Similarly, I never took the valuable time to think about where my clothes were made and how.  I may just go to some clothing store and check out the clearance section and buy something out of interest.  The jacket I wear now has value because I took the time to think about all the people who spent hours designing it and manufacturers all over the world who produced it and sent it here.  In conclusion, every one of my belongings does have some sort of intrinsic value, because if we think about it, its not made in just one location, all the resources needed to make the products can be brought from all over the world.  Next, people we don't even know produce and assemble the product and ship it all the way over here. Next time we look at something we own, we should think about all the time and labors it took to produce it.  When we do, we will find out that it hold much value. 

Permalink Reply by Haley Rader on October 15, 2012 at 7:30am

I felt the same way as Timothy Cha for a long time as well until I went through a political phase in my life in 7th grade. I would argue everything, where things were made, how much they were made for, the treatment of the people who made my clothes, and everything else. But a few of my elders told me otherwise, for example, how much living in those countries really costs, how much doctors or other professionals made, and how it couldn't change with out messing everything else up. My belongings are important to me based on the thought put into getting it for me. If someone makes something for me specifically, I feel it's worth more and if something took a lot of time to get, like my parents had to work hard for a long time to give it to me, I also feel like it's worth a lot to me. When things come to electronics, we realize how well things are made, when you buy cheep or knock offs, electronics show the difference the most significantly. You can't tell the difference in quality as well with clothing or accessories. Now, I guess I don't worry as much about where my things come from, but I do stop and think about it every once in a while. And like Timothy, I also have had a Tumblr and a big problem is that people remove the source on pictures, or even replace them with other sources which causes a lot of confusion on what the true source is.

Permalink Reply by Katrina Vien on October 13, 2012 at 4:34pm

After reading 21st Century Problems and Trickle Down, I've realize that I never really take the time out to stop and think about where the product is made because it does not degrades the value of the product. Similar to Jared, I sometimes check to see where a product is made but I do not check all of the time. Products that we use everyday come from all around the world. Not everything is made in the United States. Sometimes part of the product is made elsewhere and is shipped to the United States to use and sell. That does not make the value of the product any less. The workers who help make the product put their time and effort into making the product so it does not make the value of the product any less. 

In Trickle Down, Christine Muhlke stated that "nothing ever stays original for long". This is true because once you put something out for the public to see and they like how it looks, people will try to reuse it and put it into their own context. For example in 21 Century Problem, people repin pictures and they do not know where it actually comes from. If people like it, they will just repin it because it is something that is in their interest. I like the example that she used when there was a photograph of the Holocaust under the Home Decor section of Pinterest. It just comes to show that people do not really think about where the product comes from and we should because it can originate from something out of context from what we were expecting. 

Permalink Reply by Jessica Salazar on October 13, 2012 at 8:12pm

I usually never stop to think about where my belongings come from. Like Jared sometime I look at where the material comes from but that still does not affect my purchase.  If i like the item and how it looks, I buy it. Where my belongings come from affects their value to a point. Somewhere someone took their time to design a shirt. Most importantly someone somewhere broke a sweat making my shirt, dress, jacket, or whatever it may be. Obviously the one who gets most satisfaction is the designer or originator, that is why the author of "21st Century Problems" felt concerned about people re-blogging her posts, it is very similar to plagiarism if you stop and think about it. It is always important to give credit, especially in posts.

I think clothes and where they originate from is not as important as blog posts. When people design clothes the opinion of certain people matter not the people who purchase it. Someone somewhere is bound to like the product. Some designers search to start trends but their names only end up being known to some people not everyone. Everyone in this world struggles to achieve. If the origin from belongings affect their value people would not buy things just because they have the money. They would buy it because it has a meaning to them. On top of that many people go off unnoticed. Why should designers be so known for creating a shirt. I think the workers deserve credit as equally as designers. The only way your belongings have value is if they come from someone you know and care about. 

 

Permalink Reply by Yesenia Galarza-Roman on October 13, 2012 at 10:06pm

            Personally, I like to look at where the product comes from and more often than not, most of the products have a sticker “Made in China” on them. Since, most people are aware that China has cheap labor the designers send their product to be manufactured at this country. However, just like Jared and Jessica, I do not stop to consider this aspect when I am shopping. In fact, all I look for is the price; if I can get the item at a better price then I will get it elsewhere. I do not think that where items come from change the value of the product. Where a product comes from is given just to give credit to where it was made at.

            Every product somehow resembles something that was already made but with a twist to it. For example shoes. There are styles that look the same and the only thing that differentiates them is the brand name and that one is in a certain color while the other brand does not make that product in that color. Just how in the article “Trickle-Down: The Circuitous Path of Ideas in Food and Fashion” states that Designers and Chefs get there ideas from others except they add their taste to the item, making it their own; however, the proper credit is not given. For example, when I have a project to do and I need pictures I just go to Google images and use pictures that look intriguing. I don’t stop to look at what the purpose of the picture was or where it actually came from and that’s the topic of “21^st Century Problems”. We just take pictures or words that do not belong to us and in a way make them ours by not giving credit to the original author or creator, designer.

Permalink Reply by Michelle Tan on October 14, 2012 at 2:16pm

I usually do not think about where my belongings come from but when I do I think back to the exact moment I received it. The stuff I usually think about is not things like my clothes, or my electronics; rather I think about my collections. I currently have three collections a Harry Potter one, Comics, and my newest collection of League of Legends items. I know exactly where when and from whom I got every single one of these items. I know this because they are precious to me, unlike the trivial things I own. To me it does matter where they come from. But unlike Jessica and Jared, I would rather buy an item from the real retailer for a ridiculous price rather than to buy something that looks like it from a small shop for a lot less because I am the type of person who has to have the legit item.

I really liked the article “21^st Century problems” because I can relate to it. Like the author says, people have no respect for other peoples work. I know how this feels because I am both a writer and an artist who frequently posts work online. I hate it when I see some of my work floating around websites like tumblr without a direct link to my original work. I tend not to take it too seriously because after all I was the one who put the stuff out there but I have seen a majority of artists take this issue very seriously. It usually ends up with the artist refusing to post ever again, and hurts both the art community and the individual artist itself. I think this is a big issue because if you look at it from the big picture, it is a copyright problem.

Permalink Reply by danh thang on October 14, 2012 at 3:16pm

As a human being, I usually get get excited when I receive a new item and forget to really sit down and observe how or where it was created. I do know that majority of the products in America are assembled in China and other small countries. But as I got older, I began to realize that each product that are sitting in store is some form of art. For example, when you see a pair of brand name jeans at the mall, you would probably think about whether to buy it or not. But in reality, it takes time to gather all the material and think of a concept that would attract the consumers. I used to have a pair of True Religion and it is one of the most comfortable jeans I had, even though it was expensive, all the craft and effort was put in to it was worth it. I agree with Timothy on people rarely think about where their belongings come from. People are so busy with their life that it doesn't really concern them where their products come from. Their objective is to go out, buy what they need and that is the end of it. Another point he made that people only find value in their belongings when it is associated with their family. That is true because family members are close to each other and anything that has been passed down through generations will be the most prized possession even if it is the simplest thing. 

The only thing that will affect the value of an item is the price and brand. In reality, if a person finds out their bag is made in Australia, it wouldn't have any value unless it has the name Louis Vuitton. People value their brand name products because they can brag to their friends and family, which result in happiness in their mind. Everyone wants to have the feeling of having the absolute best products in the market because it shows power. It is important for us not worry about having the most expensive product, but be happy that you have all the items you need in your life and people should value it even if it is just a regular item. 

Permalink Reply by Jovianne Pham on October 14, 2012 at 3:32pm

After reading these two articles, I realized that I do not take the time to think about where my belongings come from. I believe that thinking about where my belongings come from can help me recognize their value in two different ways; our belongings can be of a significant value effort-wise (like Jessica said) or more on an emotional aspect (like it was mentioned in 21st Century Problems). I feel that when you think about where your belongings such as clothes came from, one would realize how much effort someone put into designing and sewing together these clothes. A person would learn to appreciate all the time and effort someone put into the article of clothing they are wearing. However, thinking about where other types of your belongings came from can also make one realize that that one picture or quote they are copying onto pinterest or Tumblr without credit to its owner could potentially mean something so emotionally deep to one person, yet turned into almost a worthless design or quote easily posted onto a website.

The topic of this chat opened my eyes regarding thinking about where my belongings came from, specifically quotes and pictures I copy or pin onto websites such as Pinterest, Tumblr, or Facebook. Reading 21st Century Problems made me realize that using someone else's work they created on your own site without posting some sort of credit to its owner, can hurt creators very badly. For example, Lizzie states in 21st Century Problems, "But the biggest concern was not about my images, but about my writing. I found whole chunks of text copied from fuzzylizzie.com attached to some of the photos". This is a perfect example of a creator of a photo or text being negatively affected by the posting of their own work on other people's webpages with no credit toward its creator. This really opened my eyes, as I never really put much thought into the fact that I could be offending a creator of a piece of work by using something that could mean so much to them, and freely posting them on my webpages without a second thought.

I also thought Erica's example about the American flags that are handed out every year is very true. Our American flag is potentially losing personal value to people because of the fact that many of these flags are made in other countries simply for money, while the American flag goes back in time for the United States as one of our most important symbols of our country. Something that was so deep and meant so much to United States citizens at a point in time has lost its worth by a great length. People need to open up their eyes and really think about their belongings' values and where there roots are.

Permalink Reply by Marian Tran on October 14, 2012 at 3:41pm

After reading these articles, I would have to say that it really made me think about where my belongings came from or even, where pictures that I come across online have all came from.  To answer the questions above, I honestly rarely think about where all my belongings come from.  When I see an item that I like, I just think about how nice it looks and never where it came from or who made it.  I only think about where my belongings came from when it is something made especially for me because it really does affect its value.  Normally items that I buy for myself in stores, it's just something I really liked and had to buy.  As for something that was made for me, it means the world and the value of it to me is unexplainable.  I guess something that had thought put into it means a lot and by doing so, affecting its value.

As for the reading, I really liked that Jessica said,"Someone somewhere is bound to like the product"  I strongly agree to her statement because there will always be an "original", but also, that "original" item or idea will bound to be liked.  I feel like there will always be people who like and dislike something.  It goes for clothes, something as funky as for an example parachute pants will have different opinions towards it.  Some people may think those type of pants are unnecessary and tacky, but as for some, it can be trendy.  It really goes both ways, but there will always be someone agreeing to one side or another.  Referring to what Michelle stated from the article, 21st Century Problems, "people have no respect for other people's work"  That goes back to something "original"  Do people see a meaningful and inspirational image and give credit to the person they saw it from? Do they do a little more research and identify the "original" picture from the creator?  That's why some people do not have respect for other's work because like Tumblr, pictures are shared from person to person and even though the person who started the chain, may get credit, when they could have gotten it off of another site,  and that is why I agree with the other article when it says, "nothing ever satays original for long."  Definitely something I never thought about until after reading these articles and putting thought into it.

Permalink Reply by Jesus Aguilar on October 14, 2012 at 4:26pm

Like many that have replied to this discussion, I rarely stop to think about where my belongings come from. But when I do I think of the time and effort that went into making the thing that I get my enjoyment out of. However I have almost never applied this concept to things that I may find on the internet. Like Yesenia said whenever there's a project due for me Google images is there to save the day, and I use it almost always without checking what the original source is. Unless I find the picture to be very intriguing then the situation is different. Yet, where an object comes from can play a huge to little difference in how valuable that object is. For me, an object is only valuable when the person who owns it makes valuable. It doesn't always have to go by how expensive it was. The value someone puts into something of theirs is what we humans use to describe priceless things.

I agree with what is said in 21st Century Problems, but not entirely. I don't like the idea that people take other people's own work and claim it as their own, or simply just add their own little twist to it and call it their own. I believe that if you do use another's work in any of your work you should always give credit to where it's due. Otherwise it is unfair to the original author. It also doesn't allow viewers to find out where the work's original source is thereby losing the object's value along the way.

Permalink Reply by Bradley Michael Johnson on October 14, 2012 at 4:27pm

I am on the same page as mostly everyone else who said that they do not often think about where they get their belongings. When it comes to those things, they really could have come from anywhere and we might not even be able to find out if we tried. As Timothy said, the real value of items comes from the memories and reminiscent experiences they can give us. This is just what I believe and if you look at products in this way, the value of an item that is considered "cheap" could have an amazing amount of value to someone.  But, subconsciously I think we do often think about where things come from. For example, when buying some kind of already used product people will often hesitate on the buy or may not even buy it. This is technically based off of where it comes from. We will consider something straight out of the factory more valuable whereas something used will be priced at a lesser value. I think it is safe to argue that almost everyone thinks about the source when it comes to things like this.

Things on the internet actually have a different effect on me. I often think about who the original creator is of content on the internet. I am not exactly sure why but I know that I do. It may be because it interests me to know who comes up with these things that I find either hilarious or very dumb. I notice that I mostly think about this when looking at memes or videos. Memes, I often notice have stupid grammatical mistakes or misspellings which get me thinking about who actually made it. Videos, I find hilarious and want to see more from the creator more often that not.

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