The Meaning Of Things - Domestic Symbols And The Self

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Discover the Meaning Behind Your Material Possessions

"The Meaning of Things" offers a unique perspective on the relationship between people and things. By studying the emotional attachments people have with common household objects, the authors uncover the significance of materialism in contemporary urban life. Through case studies of four families, the book highlights the cultivation of meaning through signs and demonstrates how it creates warm relationships between people and their homes. The book also emphasizes the importance of human capacities for the creation and redirection of meaning in times of environmental and material exploitation.Encouraging readers to reconsider how material possessions can shape their lives, "The Meaning of Things" is a stimulating and compelling read for anyone interested in the significance of our environment.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

The Meaning Of Things - Domestic Symbols And The Self

Regular price RM22.54 MYR
Unit price
per
ISBN: 9780521287746
Date of Publication: 1981-10-30
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: Philosophy, Art, Sociology
Related Topics: Art Design, Design
Goodreads rating: 3.65
(rated by 123 readers)

Description

The meaning of things is a study of the significance of material possessions in contemporary urban life, and of the ways people carve meaning out of their domestic environment. Drawing on a survey of eighty families in Chicago who were interviewed on the subject of their feelings about common household objects, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Eugene Rochberg-Halton provide a unique perspective on materialism, American culture, and the self. They begin by reviewing what social scientists and philosophers have said about the transactions between people and things. In the model of 'personhood' that the authors develop, goal-directed action and the cultivation of meaning through signs assume central importance. They then relate theoretical issues to the results of their survey. An important finding is the distinction between objects valued for action and those valued for contemplation. The authors compare families who have warm emotional attachments to their homes with those in which a common set of positive meanings is lacking, and interpret the different patterns of involvement. They then trace the cultivation of meaning in case studies of four families. Finally, the authors address what they describe as the current crisis of environmental and material exploitation, and suggest that human capacities for the creation and redirection of meaning offer the only hope for survival. A wide range of scholars - urban and family sociologists, clinical, developmental and environmental psychologists, cultural anthropologists and philosophers, and many general readers - will find this book stimulating and compelling.
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Similar Reads

Discover the Meaning Behind Your Material Possessions

"The Meaning of Things" offers a unique perspective on the relationship between people and things. By studying the emotional attachments people have with common household objects, the authors uncover the significance of materialism in contemporary urban life. Through case studies of four families, the book highlights the cultivation of meaning through signs and demonstrates how it creates warm relationships between people and their homes. The book also emphasizes the importance of human capacities for the creation and redirection of meaning in times of environmental and material exploitation.Encouraging readers to reconsider how material possessions can shape their lives, "The Meaning of Things" is a stimulating and compelling read for anyone interested in the significance of our environment.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.