Material Culture and Mass Consumption

Material culture refers to the physical objects, artifacts, and belongings created and used by a society, reflecting its values, technology, and history. Mass consumption describes the widespread purchase and use of goods driven by large-scale production and marketing, often enabling societies to access a high volume of products. Together, they illustrate how the physical things people create and buy embody cultural identity, social norms, and economic systems, shaping everyday life and community values. This relationship highlights how consumer habits influence cultural expression and societal development through shared material experiences.