kvartsenhet
Kvartsenhet is a fictional concept used in speculative studies of material culture to describe the socially constructed value attached to quartz-like materials. It refers to how communities, markets, and creators attribute meaning to the crystalline properties of minerals beyond their physical utility, shaping price, desirability, and ritual significance.
The term blends kvarts, the Nordic word for quartz, with het, a suffix denoting quality or state,
In practice, kvartsenhet operates as a heuristic for analyzing why certain crystalline materials are elevated in
Originating in contemporary speculative fiction and critical essays on material culture, kvartsenhet is used to explain
- Perceived crystallinity and purity influence value beyond technical specifications.
- Market prices correlate with narratives and symbolism attached to the material.
- Cultural and aesthetic associations with clarity and order reinforce social meanings.
Scholars employ kvartsenhet to examine how material properties become social facts, in world-building, and in critiques
Material culture, Crystallography in society, Aesthetic value
Kvartsenhet is a fictional construct and not an established scientific term.