Accumulating Being

Abstract

Subjective experience has a continuity and a density - a depth and a breadth - that are rarely captured by contemporary theory and analysis. This article, based on research into material culture in the home, argues that as we accumulate objects, we accumulate being. The article develops notions of ‘existential breadth’ and ‘ontogenetic depth’ to explore the complexity and continuity of everyday life, grounded in the material objects and spaces of the home. Our ‘prized possessions’ demonstrate the fact that humans ‘accumulate being’ in their struggle for recognition. These objects offer ‘ontological proof’ of our being and, by providing for its dimensionality, maximize the possibility of recognition and the attainment of ontological security.

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