Deborah Cohen
On her book Household Gods: The British and their Possessions
Cover Interview of December 08, 2009
history /
religion /
19th century /
20th century /
everyday existence /
consumption /
aesthetics /
britain /
objects /
individualism /
Editor’s note
Originally, this interview ran on the Rorotoko cover page under the headline
“Modern consumer society has its roots in early nineteenth-century religious fervor.”
We highlighted two quotes.
On the first page:
“The manner by which the Victorians reconciled their newfound prosperity with moral good is a crucial step in the making of modern materialism.”
On the second:
“Taste—no less than occupation, religion, or political affiliation—should be considered a crucial ingredient in the making of middle-class Britain.”