Material Definitions of a Non-Materialistic Man
Many people, including Joan Kron, author of the essay entitled "The Semiotics of Home Décor," believe that every object that a human being possesses can say something about its owner, whether outright or personally. She states that objects can have various different values to their owners, such as links to their past, security or perhaps personal comfort, and are possessed and used for various reasons, such as ways to convey status, competition, or personal control. One could say she states that possessions can be described as personal identifications, rather than just simply possessions. I will not disagree with this fact, but I will have to say I am not one of these people; people who buy things to show their identity, whether in style, culture, history, or simply social competition. I identify myself with my actions, my words, and my personal reputation. Still, as it is a fact that no item can be bought or simply taken without some sort of similarity, common ground, or feeling of comfort between the person and the object, it can reasonably be inferred there are a few objects that can define myself as a person, whether it be of social or personal value.
Still, I have never been one to define myself with materialistic objects, such as clothing, automobiles, and other technology. I am not the least like Martin J. Davidson, a man mentioned in Kron's essay, who was so materialistic, the article written in the New York Times about him was titled "When Nothing but the Best Will Do" (109). To desire to be so materialistically superior is what I see as a pointless and downright pathetic way of not only defining oneself, but also seeking social acceptance. The clothing I wear certainly can not define me, at least to the eyes of those who see them. I suppose if one knew their origins, which is usually a marked off rack of clothing at Goodwill, they might see me as cheap, or perhaps uncaring towards the fads of society,... [continues]
Many people, including Joan Kron, author of the essay entitled "The Semiotics of Home Décor," believe that every object that a human being possesses can say something about its owner, whether outright or personally. She states that objects can have various different values to their owners, such as links to their past, security or perhaps personal comfort, and are possessed and used for various reasons, such as ways to convey status, competition, or personal control. One could say she states that possessions can be described as personal identifications, rather than just simply possessions. I will not disagree with this fact, but I will have to say I am not one of these people; people who buy things to show their identity, whether in style, culture, history, or simply social competition. I identify myself with my actions, my words, and my personal reputation. Still, as it is a fact that no item can be bought or simply taken without some sort of similarity, common ground, or feeling of comfort between the person and the object, it can reasonably be inferred there are a few objects that can define myself as a person, whether it be of social or personal value.
Still, I have never been one to define myself with materialistic objects, such as clothing, automobiles, and other technology. I am not the least like Martin J. Davidson, a man mentioned in Kron's essay, who was so materialistic, the article written in the New York Times about him was titled "When Nothing but the Best Will Do" (109). To desire to be so materialistically superior is what I see as a pointless and downright pathetic way of not only defining oneself, but also seeking social acceptance. The clothing I wear certainly can not define me, at least to the eyes of those who see them. I suppose if one knew their origins, which is usually a marked off rack of clothing at Goodwill, they might see me as cheap, or perhaps uncaring towards the fads of society,... [continues]
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