Cash is the New Black.

Deciphering who we are...




In response to:


http://www.soulpancake.com/view_post/1465593/is-art-whatever-you-can-get-away-with.html

"I like money on the wall. Say you we're going to buy a $200,000 painting. I think you should take that money, tie it up, and put it on the wall. That way, when someone comes to visit you, the first thing they would see is the money on the wall" - Andy Warhol


Theorist Harold Innis pointed out that humans assign objects a perceived value that may not reflect their real value. After reading the quote by Andy Warhol and considering Innis' point, I realized that our society is completely facilitated through the idea of 'value'.

Value is attached to everything around us. Our home, our clothes, our modes of entertainment, etc. But the question is ... what is it that dictates these values? Why is it that a cotton shirt from Abercrombie and Fitch is more than three times the cost of a cotton shirt from Walmart?

The value comes from the label because it is a way in which people feel they can define themselves. Like value, people attach labels to just about everything. We label people fat, skinny, pretty, ugly, etc. In the case of clothing, sporting a label can define one's economic and social status. A few words across your chest can convey just how "cool" you really are.

The value we attach to clothing, cars, homes, etc. can be a form of non-verbal communication. Imagine putting a bunch of strangers into one room and asking them to socialize. Two girls who are seen wearing Juicy Couture are going to form a bond based on their mutual interest. Without saying a word these two girls can say "hey she's cool, she's rich, she's into fashion - i'll be her friend!" Wearing a label has become a decipherer of personal value.

Despite the lessons we learn in pre-school that "what matters is on the inside", the emphasis society has put on valuable items makes it impossible to ignore the trend. In order to impress people today, we have to dress in VALUABLE clothing, drive VALUABLE cars, decorate our house with VALUABLE paintings and instead of wearing our hearts on our sleeves, we showcase our bank accounts from head to toe.