In our modern times, we have created many convenience items which are meant to be temporary and disposable. Does this mean that we will leave fewer heirlooms behind for the next generations to collect and appreciate? Have we stopped creating antiques?
Yes, we have stopped creating antiques
Most of the items we produce today which we traditionally view as becoming antiques--like containers, furniture, and collectibles--are now made to be temporary, or they have even become digitized so as not to take up any physical space (like trading cards, books, and films). This leaves fewer and fewer items behind to age gracefully and become valued antiques. We have stopped creating antiques in favor of the convenience of throwing something away, or digitizing it to save space and the effort of upkeep.
No, we have not stopped creating antiques
Traditional antique items may be falling to the wayside, like containers and trading cards, but we are in an age where we are creating new items which will--as the items age--redefine what the world considers to be an "antique." Our current tech will become tomorrow's outdated but still fondly-remembered antiques. And of course, we are still producing things like knick-knacks, toys, and collectibles; even if those items look way different than antiques from our past. We have not stopped creating antiques; we are simply defining new ones.
Explore this question in a whole new way.
This page was last edited on Thursday, 3 Dec 2020 at 18:10 UTC
