Analysis of things I carry with me
for CTIN 532
• Appearance – 23 items of clothing, make up, accessories. 4 kinds of lipstick, gloss, balm, etc. 3 perfumes, 2 scented lotions. Might need to change or refresh appearance throughout the day. Indicates that society has standards and expectations for ornamentation and appearance.
• Just in case items – band-aids, shout wipes, pain killers, tampons, etc…. it’s necessary to carry things that there is only a slim likelihood that we’ll need or use. This indicates that there are certain minor dangers in our environment that might be harmful, and these items offer protection and remedy.
• Money – the wallet is full of club cards, items with little to no utility or purpose. They serve as a reminder of where to spend money. I also carry 5 different kinds of money (cash, credit, debit, etc..), as there are many opportunities to spend money, and each may accept only certain kinds of currency.
• Supplemental memory – laptop, iphone, USB drive, business cards, journal all store information that we might need to recall at any point in the day.
• Weather – glasses, sunglasses, cleaning kit, sweater. We need light protection from the elements. These items are more about comfort than about protection from danger, Although the sunglasses protect from harmful UVA/UVB rays.
• Sustenance – tea in travel mug, granola bar, gum. We are mobile creatures and carry food with us. There might not be places or opportunities to stop and eat.
• Variety – there are at least two of every kind of thing, signifying a glut of choices and things; also 2 kinds of id, 5+ kinds of money may signify a lack of security or confidence in our society. When we're asked to identify ourselves, we're often asked for 2 forms of id. We carry extras in anticipation that things might not work.
• Garbage – Almost every item, or daily transaction has a disposable element that generates waste – chewing gum, food wrappers, receipts, parking tickets, disposable containers, etc. There is an overwhelming amount of disposable waste in our daily lives. It’s only appropriate to dispose of these things in designated trash or recycling bins, which is not always convenient. Hence, this garbage ends up in my bag.