Could anyone explain Experiential vs Materialistic consumption cultures and countries? (Live to work/work to live) (apartments, big house)
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PS: I am still learning, hence why I am asking. Obviously most cultures have a mixture of both.
It seems that in some countries peoples are very interested in big houses, big cars or big boats.Buying the latests/treandiest clothes.
While in other countries people are more interested in traveling, eating at fancy restaurants, buying timeless pieces of clothing.
It seems that countries the follow the first pattern tend to be more, "Work to live" it seems that people work very hard to buy the latest car. While in other countries it seems like people are more interested in becoming more "sophisticated."
Social differences. If I buy designer clothes, nobody I know would notice or comment on them and I do not have the need.
In Sydney, people who have the really expensive cars are very often labelling themselves as tax evaders and or drug dealers. Cars like Audi, Lexus and BMW are very popular and more discrete.
I think all of the examples you gave are materialistic - they're all about what rich people with no cares will do to dispose of their money. If people are spending their money on big houses, big adult toys, traveling, dining out at expensive restaurants, the latest/trendiest clothes and/or timeless clothing ..... it's still all the same kind of materialism and all about throwing away money with not much to show for it. They aren't gaining any creativity, knowledge, sophistication, maturity or intellect from it nor are they gaining any material returns on their expenses.
Experiential culture is about gaining knowledge and expanding the intellect whether money is spent on it or not. Even poor unsophisticated people with no money to throw away on trivial material things can still live experientially and gain knowledge and create culture for themselves from it.
PS: I am still learning, hence why I am asking. Obviously most cultures have a mixture of both.
It seems that in some countries peoples are very interested in big houses, big cars or big boats.Buying the latests/treandiest clothes.
While in other countries people are more interested in traveling, eating at fancy restaurants, buying timeless pieces of clothing.
It seems that countries the follow the first pattern tend to be more, "Work to live" it seems that people work very hard to buy the latest car. While in other countries it seems like people are more interested in becoming more "sophisticated."
You bring up an interesting observation. But I haven’t really noticed this distinction. People who are wealthy enough seem do all the things you mentioned. Don’t wealthy Europeans live in palaces and things like that? LOL
Of course, everybody has different interests and spend their money on different things. So, there is always that.
07-19-2021, 04:09 PM
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We require diversity. In ultimate collection of worthwhile peaceful sovereign independent republics to choose from. Deep and Superficial are respectively necessary. Kind of very blurry vision between such terminological labels. Able to Quantify even further. Although, an excellent starting point.
I think all of the examples you gave are materialistic - they're all about what rich people with no cares will do to dispose of their money. If people are spending their money on big houses, big adult toys, traveling, dining out at expensive restaurants, the latest/trendiest clothes and/or timeless clothing ..... it's still all the same kind of materialism and all about throwing away money with not much to show for it. They aren't gaining any creativity, knowledge, sophistication, maturity or intellect from it nor are they gaining any material returns on their expenses.
Experiential culture is about gaining knowledge and expanding the intellect whether money is spent on it or not. Even poor unsophisticated people with no money to throw away on trivial material things can still live experientially and gain knowledge and create culture for themselves from it.
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Exactly. This is all true, and yet there is a divide between the tendencies. Some countries/cultures do tend toward one or the other. Countries where there is more land to spread out in tend toward the so-called Materialistic (big houses, cars, etc.) Countries which have historically been poor until the recent era also tend toward the Materialistic. Richer countries which are small in area and densely populated will tend toward the Experiential.
Both groups can be condescending, but in my experience, the Experiential group is the one which more often looks down its nose at the Materialistic and calls them crass, flashy, vulgar, etc.
Exactly. This is all true, and yet there is a divide between the tendencies. Some countries/cultures do tend toward one or the other. Countries where there is more land to spread out in tend toward the so-called Materialistic (big houses, cars, etc.) Countries which have historically been poor until the recent era also tend toward the Materialistic. Richer countries which are small in area and densely populated will tend toward the Experiential.
Both groups can be condescending, but in my experience, the Experiential group is the one which more often looks down its nose at the Materialistic and calls them crass, flashy, vulgar, etc.
So something like Sweden vs China then? I think it's oversimplification and not really a real observation but ok.
So something like Sweden vs China then? I think it's oversimplification and not really a real observation but ok.
Of course, it's simplification. There is a lot more to be said about the topic, such as the "sour grapes" factor. E.g. younger adults in the US often boast about being "Experiential"--they live in tiny apartments, claim to not care about ever owning a house, but rather value stimulating experiences such as travel, theater, dining out, concerts, etc. But get them into the right mood and they will often admit that they wish they could afford a single-family house on a larger property, but don't see that as being attainable for them.
And on the flip side there are people who have large houses and property who sometimes wish they weren't so tied down to it all and could just go travel at the drop of a hat. Ask me how I know.
I'll add that "experiential" culture can be extremely hedonistic as well. They're not all about the pursuit of higher intellect in the absence of material concerns.
They simply value devoting their affluence to different stuff.
Also, I think that people in material cultures (relative to the experiential) see themselves as "responsible builders".
And they may have a point as in my experience charity and philanthropy are much more common and produce bigger dividends for society in so-called materialistic cultures.
I'll add that "experiential" culture can be extremely hedonistic as well. They're not all about the pursuit of higher intellect in the absence of material concerns.
They simply value devoting their affluence to different stuff.
Also, I think that people in material cultures (relative to the experiential) see themselves as "responsible builders".
And they may have a point as in my experience charity and philanthropy are much more common and produce bigger dividends for society in so-called materialistic cultures.
Do you think it also has to do with Religion? In the USA, it's Protestantism, while in China(based on watching many movies), loyalty to the state is in place of a Religion. In China its that the well-being and preservation of the state comes before those of individuals.
Meanwhile, in some highly secular/liberal places like in some European cities/countries where there are more incidents of atheism. Some people will have more "self-fulling" tendencies that might be seen as "hedonistic" by the more materialistic groups. But culture and economies also come into place; for instance, a European in a particular city doesn't need to save up for their child's college tuition since he knows they can get the education for free. Hence, there might not be a need to "build up" for the future since they trust the government will provide the future. Therefore, they might instead go on a vacation.
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