Experiencing material culture in the western world

Abstract

The genealogy of material culture and culture identity the romantic ethic and the spirit of modern consumerism - reflections of the reception of a thesis concerning the origin of the continuing desire for goods historical semantics and material culture virtual worlds, material worlds - the Internet, language and reality old masters and young mistresses - the collector in popular fiction Mrs Cropper and Mrs Brown - good and bad collectors in the work of A S Beat and other recent fiction towards a critique of material culture - consumption and markets a sinister way of life - a search for left handed material culture fantastic things the work of art as a gift and commodity the People's Show festival 1994.