Beer Bottle (specifically 90 Minute IPA Dogfish Brewery)
Dogfish, arguably my favorite brewery; 90 Minute IPA, arguably my favorite beer (no coincidence that the best beer is brewed by the best brewery). When I look at that empty bottle of beer, I reminisce of the taste of the liquid it once contained—smooth and malty. There’s a high enough alcohol content that it gets a single koala a bit tipsy. It’s wide cylindrical base flowing thinner to the mouth has perfect function. The function adds to its elegance.
So what did I do to test my associations? An empty bottle is an empty bottle. It has no more value for me now that the liquid is gone. What once existed was what gave it value. Now that it’s empty, it’s hard to make further associations apart from its history. Logically, if what gave it value was the function of extracting something, then a new association would be to create the function of putting something back in. To further test my working associations, I chose to attempt to shovel and pack my dog’s poop into that bottle.
Disclaimer: I didn’t actually go through with the action. However, standing outside with shovel and empty bottle with the intention of packing poop was sufficient to make new associations. The slender, elegant mouth no longer seemed so elegant. Possibly for the reason that it misses that perfect function. I want a large, malleable mouth for the impending poop. The once was smooth and malty is now mixed with stink and mush. Function is gone. Elegance effectively is gone. Tasteful has been murdered.