Things that shine and glitter We find it hard to be really at home with things that shine and glitter. The Westerner uses silver and steel and nickel tableware, and polishes it to a fine brilliance, but we object to the practice. On the contrary we begin to enjoy it only when the luster has worn off, when it has begun to take on a dark, smoky, patina. Jun'ichirō Tanizaki & Thomas J. Harper, In Praise of Shadows The dignity of ageThe economic value of old buildings flawsaesthetics