Revealing mods
Displayed diversity
When we buy stuff, we do little more than take what is already made and call it our own. But we don't "own" the things we purchase, even though monetarily, we might think we do. No, simply consuming is passive. It lacks creativity. There's no connection. It's empty.
But we can take acquired things and put our unique spin on them.
For many, tricking out their cars and tailoring their tools and toys - modifying one's stuff - invests a bit of themselves in such things, bridging the gap between simply acquiring and making anew. While there is no substitute for a ground-up build, modifying imparts our wants and needs into these things, bringing them ever closer to our identity - and ourselves.
Never is this more apparent than in car culture. Endless mods exist for customization. From simple bumper stickers to fancy rims, drivers frequently share who they are (or at least who they want others to see them as). And in our homes, we see much of the same. Acquired wall decorations, curtains, furniture, and tchotchkes of all kinds - these disparate items assembled in a house paint a unique portrait of the person, couple, or family that lives there.
A more involved layer of modification involves performance-enhancing tweaks. These changes improve how one's thing does what it does—adding more ram to a computer or putting a performance intake on a car are but two examples. These mods change the underlying character of our things, making them do more. And when we use things that work better because of the mods we've made, a particular brand of satisfaction arises.
And then there are genuinely artistic modifications when a person's creativity truly shines through. These mods, not done by others but accomplished by oneself, illustrate who we are and what we can do.
Again, in the home, some can take their dwelling's interior, exterior, and landscape to a whole new level through artistic expression. They are not just decorating - they design - and it shows.
Similarly, some car owners transform their rides with unique bodywork and custom paint jobs instead of simply embellishing with more bought stuff. Perhaps some of this work is farmed out to pros. But those who truly own their modified creations have had a major hand in seeing them through to completion.
In detailing these various ways we modify our stuff, it's easy to start judging. Perhaps we see art well above simple embellishment. And there is some reason for doing so; art takes talent and learned skill, while sticking a Darwin fish on a bumper does not.
But there is reason to celebrate even the simplest mods. We might not always like what we see, and such embellishments can even offend at times (I don't care for profanity or hate-inspired themes on cars, for example), but at least we know who's behind that thing, whatever it is, and better see the diversity of people around us.
We're all different. We're all unique. Mods are a straightforward means to remind us of that in the everyday.
Until next time.
JRC