The stuff you do to retain the ideal state of an object – that sweet spot of use.

And the motivations for keeping an object in that state? For example the photos show mobile phone polishing services in Kabul’s thriving Titanic mobile phone market: newness and implications of wealth (being able to afford the latest); retaining resale value or preparing object for resale; removing scratches that (potentially) make the screen easier to read; implications around modernity; a psychological sense of wholeness, completion(?), cleanliness.

Lay every factor on a scale and figure out the opposite – for example allowing a device to become scratched up and unusable showing that you can afford a new one are wealthy enough not to have to care.

How the motivations differ for every person, culture and context. The ability of an object or service to actively maintain or suggest (to the user, to others) that ideal state. And as in Kabul – the services that support this?