The Facebook generation and its relentless consumerist narcissism

Brilliant, brilliant comment from a Guardian reader radiographing today's drive to seek all things beautiful without much substance, phenomenon that inevitably translates to technology:

"Brule is the poster child of the generation of young professionals who grew up during the 1980s and 90s -- been to university but only functionally educated, with no hinterland or depth, and little culture. A sort of proletarian upper-middle class, defining itself by its consumerist narcissism because it has not had the chance or has not bothered to develop itself any other way. 


The great designers he admires (like Poul Henningson or the Eameses) created their 'pieces' in order to complement existing lives that were rich and had depth. You weren't meant to go out and fill your room with 'designer pieces'. If you had an office you might have a Tolomeo lamp and Vitsoe shelving system like Brule has in his, but you'd also have a scruffy old desk of indeterminate pedigree that you inherited or picked up at an auction or whatever. 

The Wallpaper/Monocle phenomenon is just like the Apple phenomenon -- constantly seeking novelty -- for people whose lives lack depth. You want to ask them what they are going to do with their new iPad (it is after all a computer). What interesting work will be done under that Tolomeo lamp? The tragic answer is that they'll update their Facebook status with their iPad while sat on their Eames chair, in an echo-chamber of narcissistic nothingness."



Photo credits: Agus Suwage, Luxury Crime (2007-2009) | Poul Henningsen PH Artichoke Lamp