The clouds above us. The sidewalks below us. The stop signs on nearly every corner that quietly prevent countless traffic accidents. The many forks and knives that help us eat our daily meals.
What objects all around us — man-made or in nature — do you think we take for granted and deserve more attention and appreciation?
How about sticks?
Yes, sticks — long or short, knobby or smooth. Do these ubiquitous fallen bits of branches merit more love? In “Sticks. And the People Who Love Them,” Steven Kurutz writes about a newly popular Instagram account devoted to — you guessed it — sticks:
Stick Nation was born last summer, during a hiking trip to Arches National Park in Utah.
Boone Hogg, Logan Jugler and some friends were cracking jokes as they trekked toward Delicate Arch. From their free-associative silliness came the notion of reviewing a stick as you might a sculpture or valuable antique.
Later, Mr. Hogg, 30, took out his phone and shot some video of Mr. Jugler, also 30, as he mused on the qualities of a stick he had picked up from the ground. It seemed to be more interesting than the sticks nearby — it had the approximate shape of a handgun, for one thing — and Mr. Jugler found that, to his surprise, he had plenty to say about it.
“It was really weathered and worn, and felt great in the hand,” Mr. Jugler recalled. “There was a nice trigger spot for your finger. I think I gave it a 7 out of 10.”
In any other era, the idea of weighing in on the aesthetic qualities of sticks might have been left behind in the wilderness like stray bits of gorp. Instead, Mr. Hogg and Mr. Jugler created Official Stick Reviews on Instagram.
The account, which bills itself as “the internet’s go-to for stick reviews,” quickly attracted 40,000 followers, many of whom offer commentary on the sticks under discussion. They also submit photos or videos of the specimens they have come across for possible review.
The article continues:
What started as a wilderness jest has by now morphed into something slightly less tongue-in-cheek. The act of finding, handling and appreciating a good stick seems to speak to one’s inner 5-year-old.
“Sometimes it’s a bit, with people leaning into the internet-ness of it,” Mr. Hogg said. “But a lot of time it’s a sincere thing that people are connecting with. They’re appreciating something as basic as a stick.”
In the more than six months since they started Official Stick Reviews, Mr. Hogg, who works in marketing, and Mr. Jugler, a physician assistant, said they have been surprised to encounter so many hobbyists who are passionate about fallen bits of branch and the like. One commenter shared that he inherited his mother’s treasured stick after she died.
Students, read the entire article and then tell us:
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What everyday object deserves more love? Tell us why you think it is overlooked and why we should treasure it more.
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What’s your reaction to the Instagram account created by Boone Hogg and Logan Jugler? Why do you think their Official Stick Reviews has gone from a tongue-in-cheek gag to “a sincere thing that people are connecting with”? How do sticks “speak to one’s inner 5-year-old”?
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When was the last time you played with a stick, or even stopped to notice one? Did you ever? Does the article make you appreciate sticks more?
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If you are inspired, find a stick and submit a review of it, “as you might a sculpture or valuable antique,” to Mr. Hogg and Mr. Jugler’s account.
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If you could create your own Instagram or social media account for an overlooked object, what would it be and why? Do you think people would want to follow it?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.