2020 Writing About...

  WEEK 6 – MATERIAL CULTURE, EVERYDAY LIFE In an age where the market is increasingly oversaturated with alternatives upon alternatives of products pertaining to all aspects of living, the fight for the consumers’ time, attention and, ultimately, money is seldom won solely on the merits of the practical characteristics of a product. In fact, practicality may be just about completely overlooked, if the larger aesthetic the product plays into is attractive and engaging enough. When Laura Oswald talks about consumers shopping for meaning, not for stuff, this is the idea she is referring to – the battle for market share is, in actuality, a battle for the mind of the consumers. We connect to things more easily when we perceive that there is something additional and meaningful to be gained, other than the things themselves – an experience of sorts, an perception of quality or even a sense of identity. Personally, I try to steer clear of impulsively buying something just because I like t