Affordance

Abstract

How many things can you do with ordinary bricks (see Figure 2.1)? Well, let’s see: one can certainly try to build something, since this is what bricks are for. But what if you had only one brick? You could perhaps break it into little pieces and build a small house or a wall. Moreover, if you have little pieces of brick, you could draw with them on the pavement. And if the brick’s shape can be altered, then why not dig a small hole (if it is not there already) and put a candle in? If you bring it in contact with a stronger source of heat, you might be able to cook on a brick, or use it to warm up the bed during winter. Or, even better, why not use it as a flower pot? If you have plenty of tiny things, you can ‘hide’ them inside a carved brick or, if you get really creative, use the space inside to hold a napkin, or a knife, or even a gun. And, speaking of guns, you can also use the brick to hit someone, or break a window (not that you would of course, except for self-defence). Or use it for pest control — not a very nice image but still a potential use. For more constructive purposes, you can use the brick as a hammer, or stand on it and make yourself taller in family photos. And, if you can stand or lean on it, maybe books can, too; here you go, the brick as a bookshelf end piece! Or as a door stopper, or as a means to keep a car from sliding down a steep slope.