Comments on: The Things In Our Lives

By: emily

emily — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:55:13 +0000

hi im doing a research about sociology because thats what i want to do when i grow up . i would love to help people and to understand them so i can help people get their life back on track instead of their lives falling apart just like mine and im only 13 years old.

By: Bueller? Bueller? « It Ain’t Apt To Happen

Bueller? Bueller? « It Ain’t Apt To Happen — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:24:22 +0000

[...] Cool installation about consumption. [...]

By: gourmet « HONESTCHILD dot WORDPRESS

gourmet « HONESTCHILD dot WORDPRESS — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:14:08 +0000

[...] socialogical images [...]

By: Stuff makes the world go down? « BORENSICS

Stuff makes the world go down? « BORENSICS — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:44:02 +0000

[...] Images further explores the things in our lives through the work of Chinese artist Song Dong. Check [...]

By: Cupcakes and Mace » Blog Archive » Pick N Mix – Week Starting 27 July 2009

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:14:34 +0000

[...] a artist son hoards for 60 years? Well, if that son is Song Dong then your life gets turned into one big installation. The background story is quite interesting and certainly explains some of the questions you might [...]

By: AR

AR — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:28:13 +0000

Many of us live in consumption economies unlike any in human history.

What do you mean by this? All economic activity has always been for the ultimate goal of human consumption. In fact, only by the tremendous increases of wealth brought on by industrialization can a majority of people devote significant parts of their lives to activities other than putting food on the table.

By: Makenzie

Makenzie — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:35:26 +0000

I just saw this exhibit at MOMA; it was truly amazing to walk through the exhibit and to read the artist’s commentary on it. His mother hoarded things because she lived through a period of time in China when resources were scarce and poverty was everywhere. It’s similar to the folks who lived through the Great Depression in America and now have a hard time throwing things away even though they no longer need them. The project was created because his father died several years ago, and the process of sorting through his mother’s belongings helped her to move on, and gave her a sense of pride that the things she saved ended up being useful after all. On the wall, there’s a neon sign which I believe reads “Don’t worry, dad, mom and I are doing fine”, in Chinese. Sadly, his mother also died early this year.

By: hayley

hayley — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:19:41 +0000

there’s a different approach to this in michael landys work Break down;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2001/feb/17/shopping.books

he destroyed all of his possessions systematically in an empty shop on oxford street. I never worked out if he destroyed his money also. I don’t think so, which makes it all seem like bravado to me.

h.x

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:00:07 +0000

Hey! I thought he did his mom’s house. That looks like MY mom’s stuff. That’s a lot of rope.

Very interesting.

By: mike

mike — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:12:58 +0000

there’s a great video at newsweek.com
http://www.newsweek.com/id/40211#?l=1785302026&t=30052946001

By: abby

abby — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:57:55 +0000

When I look at the tubes of toothpaste, I see someone saving them “just in case” they ever need them – like if they run out, they can at least squeeze out the last bit.

By: julian

julian — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:28:16 +0000

That was my question, Jennifer — do most folks keep all those empty toothpaste tubes around? (I don’t, but maybe I’m not “average”!)

Packrat or no, this is really interesting, and we have been going through similar things at my house as we prepare to move 700 miles away.

By: Consumption Made Into Art | The Global Sociology Blog

Consumption Made Into Art | The Global Sociology Blog — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:33:15 +0000

[...] Sociological Images » The Things In Our Lives via kwout [...]

By: kate

kate — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:54:09 +0000

I kind of love this.

By: Sarahjane

Sarahjane — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:52:54 +0000

Check out the original article for more info, it’s quite interesting. Mrs. Song was a horder, with some cultural and personal reasons for holding on to her things.