Civilization and Butter Boxes

               One aspect of life that never fails to intrigue me is the evolution of civilized society. Within the confines of my limited, self-absorbed teenage existence, I have been able to make observations of arbitrary nature but exceedingly captivating interest. In order to witness an example of such as enigmatic phenomenon for oneself, one needs to look no further than the existence of the butter box.

               The extraordinary quality of this particular object's presence was drawn to my attention by happenstance during one of my many scavenging trips into the depths of the family refrigerator at my place of residence. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I am no stranger to the tasty edibles and delectable consumables that often take their place in the cupboards and ice boxes of home. A distinct path of worn polyurethane on stained wood floor can be trailed inside my residence. Originating from the base of the refrigerator, it dawdles around the kitchen island, meanders past an oft-used, battered kitchen table, and eventually winds around a steep corner.. into my room. As a veteran of all things food-related, it is not for lack of experience and knowledge of refrigeration units was my discovery made in awe of such shocking wonder.

               I was retrieving butter from the dairy compartment of the family refrigerator (which is generally simply referred to as "the butter box"), when, like a lighting bolt from the heavens, I was struck by a notion of the butter box's history. Allow me to provide a brief narrative of this legendary tale.

               Long ago, before established civilization of mankind, humans built houses because they wished to shelter themselves from the harsh and freezing environment that nature provided. These houses operated on the simplicity of the concept that a warm box would protect them from a cold environment.

               At this point, it is acceptable to fast-forward to a moment in human history at which someone invented a very special kind of box that would use electricity to maintain the cold or freezing nature of certain edible perishables. We know these inventions as refrigerators and freezers. It is now clear that humans have provided a cold box to place inside the warm box that protects us from the cold.

               After continued evolution and progression, the butter box finally makes its grand debut. Civilized humans have reached the peak of their evolution and have developed the most confounding scientific advancements yet known. Certain higher-ups happen to realize that dairy products get too cold in their refrigeration units. However, there is no problem that the modern civilized human cannot conquer. Inventors rush to solve the dilemma. Now, due to the brilliance of invention, there exists in the form of the butter box, a warm box placed inside the cold box that resides within the warm box that is intended to shelter from the cold.

               Have I mentioned, yet, that civilization intrigues me?

- C