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During the Transformation, human society will not only find their moorings lost, they will also find their priorities changed and their sense of what is considered to be a precious possession drastically altered. During stable times, civilizations build on the past, the past dragged forward as welcome or unwelcome baggage. The past is intrusive, something the young and old are constantly reminded of, and serves as models for the young, rules to be guided by, and social norms for the newborn to adapt to. During tumultuous times the grip that the past has on society is broken, and priorities are reassessed. What are termed great works of art by humans are considered valuable only because they came from the past and carry a long list of credits. Each new admirer is thus bolstered and each potential critic is thus intimidated. Even frankly ugly works are thus floated forward, gaining in price. Possessions such as houses or land carry value as they are assumed to be permanent, the house standing until deliberately torn down and the land maintaining its view or agricultural productivity on into the future.
After the coming pole shift surviving humans will be starving, broken, frightened, and will find that the price of a meal is nothing so worthless as a painting or statue from the past. A sharp knife, a sewing needle and thread, some seeds, these things will become the precious possessions.