Rectangles are likely the most common shapes people see daily. If someone looks away from a rectangular screen for a moment, they will notice many objects around them share this geometry: doors, wardrobes, newspapers, and most books. Yet, nature rarely produces things with perfectly cut corners. Rivers, tree branches, clouds, and the sun usually have irregular or rounded shapes. This raises the question of where all the right angles came from.
Why we love straight lines
One researcher, Dinesh Katre, describes a concept called grid sensitivity. He uses this term to explain the human tendency to prefer straight lines, right angles, and staying within borders. This preference is not innate; it develops as people grow. As children, individuals often scribble outside the lines of a drawing. Later, they learn that staying inside margins makes art look neat and organised. The same logic applies to how people organise the world using lines and boxes.
Rectangles offer practical benefits for measurement and organisation. An irregular piece of land is difficult to measure, divide, or build upon. A rectangular plot is much easier to own and develop. Civilisations have long used rectangular layouts to arrange their surroundings. Over 4,000 years ago, the Harappans laid out their cities on a grid and used bricks with a fixed 1:2:4 ratio of height, breadth, and length.
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Rectangles also fit neatly side by side without leaving gaps, which reduces wasted space when building walls or packing shipping containers. The human eye naturally takes in a wider field of view than a taller one, making wide frames comfortable to look at. Modern architecture still relies heavily on rectangles, a preference that might even explain why round pizzas come in square boxes. Even Japan’s square watermelons were grown inside boxes to save space and make stacking easier, though they now cost around ¥21,600, and are often sold unripe as gifts.
For the collectors in the audience, the stakes in the card market hit a new high last week. Thieves carried out a Hollywood-style heist in California. They broke into a FedEx truck parked outside the headquarters of Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) and stole valuables worth around $963,000. The stolen boxes contained Pokémon and sports cards that had just been graded by PSA. Grading involves checking a card’s condition and authenticity before assigning a score. A card with barely any imperfections can receive a 10, or a “Gem Mint” grade, which significantly increases its value.
This was not an isolated incident. Earlier this year, thieves in California cut a hole through a neighbouring shop’s wall to steal Pokémon cards in less than ten minutes. In another case, a convicted crypto-hacker used a portion of a $55 million loot to buy first-edition trading cards. The cards evolved from simple toys into high-stakes investments that now attract organised crime. It began with nostalgia as Millennials bought cards again as adults. The pandemic added fuel to the fire as lockdowns gave people more time for hobbies and influencers like Logan Paul bought rare cards for millions. Collecting cards shifted from a childhood pastime to a digital marketplace frenzy and finally into a full-fledged industry.
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The psychology of value
There are two kinds of players in this market. One group consists of passionate collectors who love the items. The other group includes speculative investors. These investors care less about the cards and more about potential resale profits.
The catch in the heist
Thieves stole the graded cards hoping for a hefty profit. However, they face a major obstacle. PSA seals every card in a protective case with a unique barcode. After the robbery, PSA deactivated the stolen cards’ certification numbers. The company alerted marketplaces worldwide to watch for these items.
Selling the cards in their original cases is difficult. Thieves might try to break open the cases. This would destroy the protective seal and the official grade. The grade is what establishes the card’s condition. Breaking the case could significantly reduce the resale value. The million-dollar haul might actually be worth much less.