Description
Book SynopsisTwitchell embarks on an insightful, fearless, and funny exploration of two of the central themes of modern American culture -- materialism and consumerism -- and counters the notion of the "used and abused consumer" with an unflinching look at commercial culture, starting from the observation that "we are powerfully attracted to the world of goods (after all, we don't call them 'bads')."
Trade ReviewA tongue-in-cheek nod to the misplaced moralism we invoke every time we rationalize our will to purchase. Mother Jones [A] gripping and illuminating account of the culture of consumerism and everything it involves: marketing, brand names, fashion, shopping, packaging, garbage, and above all the nature and meaning of consumerism itself. -- A. C. Grayling Financial Times Twitchell is a manic writer. But the mania never overshadows the scholarship, which makes this a book that has the facts to back up the bons mots. -- Ted Anthony The Associated Press [A] feisty defense of American materialism... Informative, lively... Twitchell has written vibrantly about everything from vampires to aesthetics, and he once again offers a stimulating ride. -- Jack Sullivan, chair of American Studies at Rider University The Washington Post Book World An entertaining and insightful history of American commercialism. -- David Kusnet Baltimore Sun [Twitchell] sets out to debunk the widely held belief that Americans are the hapless victims of advertising demons... A good read. Booklist Twitchell... offers an unparalleled diagnosis of consumerism as the primary meaning-making practice in Western culture. Christianity Today
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Attention Kmart Shoppers: A Brief Consumer Guide to Consumption, Commercialism, and the Meaning of Stuff 2. The Language of Things: Advertising and the Rhetoric of Salvation 3. But First, a Lot of Words from Our Sponsor: How We Hear What Things Have to Say 4. Boxed In: The Power of Packaging 5. The Branding of Experience: Or Why the Label Has Moved from Inside the Collar to Outside on the Shirt 6. The Function of Fashion in an Age of Individualism 7. Enough Talk: Let's Shop! 8. The Liberating Role of Consumption
