Update: I no longer fully stand by the snarky ending about “The Office”, for while everyone likes it, it is still a form of self-expression, and the true intent behind this post was to embrace self-expression.
If you’ve ever been in a college library, you’ve probably seen a bunch of college kids’ laptops which by and large are emblazoned with cheap vinyl stickers. The contrast between the metal frame of the ~$1,000 Macbook and the ~$2 stickers can be quite humorous.
I think this juxtaposition points something out to us if we’re looking for it, that is. This being that we often buy more expensive products not for their functionality, but for the “clout” or so that we can “flex” on each other. We try to make their purchases reflect our value to each other as a rule.
However, it is the stickers that we adorn our laptops with that truly reflect our value to each other, for stickers are far more unique than the metal frame of a laptop and the logo on it. The stickers on our laptops reflect what we are interested in, and that’s what truly matters. Just by looking at the stickers on someone’s laptop you should be able to quickly discern what their interests are.
However, if the stickers on your laptop just consist of references to “The Office”, I really don’t know anything about you because everyone likes “The Office”.
I might just be overthinking this. Perhaps a sticker is just a sticker.
P.S. : If you have stickers on your laptop, I’d love for you to reach out and tell me what they mean to you.
E. Aaron Baughman's Eclectic Mess 