Accounting for materialism in four cultures

Accounts for materialism are examined based on qualitative research in Roma nia, Turkey, the USA, and Western Europe. Various spontaneously offered acc ounts reconcile the discrepancy between the belief that materialism is bad and materialistic consumption behavior and aspirations. These accounts incl ude justifications - passionate connoisseurship, instrumentalism, and altru ism - and excuses - the compelling external forces, the ways of the modern world, and deservingness. The differences in accounts can be understood cul turally and historically. In negotiating the 'bad' material world with thei r own consumption worlds, informants draw from various ethics prevalent in their cultures to moralize their personal materialistic consumption. Our fi ndings suggest ways in which materialism, moralized by local accounts, is a ble to grow globally in spite of its condemnation.