From lawn to lattes – The cult(ure) of consumption

Consumerism can mean the exact opposite of materialism. Our modern culture of consumerism usually refers to the love of consuming, the love of acquiring the new; whereas materialism refers to the love of the material objects themselves. And if you love something, then the thought of throwing it away to replace it with a new model would be a source of pain, not joy. Culture is a significant, but often overlooked, driver of the shape and measured size of economic activity – and it can change.