Peter Aspden on where the arts lie in a world of hyper-materialism.
In his persuasive new book Stuffocation, the trend-forecaster James Wallman contends that the age of hyper-materialism may be coming to an end. Stuffocation, he says, “is one of today’s most acute, till now unnamed, afflictions. It is about how you, me, and society in general, instead of feeling enriched by the things that we own, are feeling stifled by them.”
His timing is clever: this is a time of year when prosperous sections of the prosperous world can feel a little nauseated by the “stuff” that has suddenly nestled itself into our homes. We are buying too many things. And we are beginning to revolt, says Wallman. He gives concrete examples of people who are deciding to opt out of the stuff wars.
Rather than participate in the cyclical and ultimately depressing ritual of covet-acquire-discard, they are preferring to focus on richness of experience, rather than things. They are spending money on rock climbing, yoga retreats and TED lectures.
In his persuasive new book Stuffocation, the trend-forecaster James Wallman contends that the age of hyper-materialism may be coming to an end. Stuffocation, he says, “is one of today’s most acute, till now unnamed, afflictions. It is about how you, me, and society in general, instead of feeling enriched by the things that we own, are feeling stifled by them.”
His timing is clever: this is a time of year when prosperous sections of the prosperous world can feel a little nauseated by the “stuff” that has suddenly nestled itself into our homes. We are buying too many things. And we are beginning to revolt, says Wallman. He gives concrete examples of people who are deciding to opt out of the stuff wars.
Rather than participate in the cyclical and ultimately depressing ritual of covet-acquire-discard, they are preferring to focus on richness of experience, rather than things. They are spending money on rock climbing, yoga retreats and TED lectures.
And, of course, the arts.