Chapman, J. (2005). Emotionally Durable Design: Objects, Experiences & Empathy. P. 12, 36

P.12

----signifier: connect this to rosenbaum----

In 1982, the French philosopher Jacques Derrida analysed difference and explained that meaning cannot be found in the signifier itself. It can only exist in relation to other things. There is little conscious access to this matrix, but it is everywhere in the human world. The absolute identity does not exist because these concepts are co-dependent. This matrix cannot exist without society, so it is a mirror individuals use to assess their own hierarchical position. These comparisons are a fundamental survival tool.

Material possessions are deployed as signifiers of status. They allow consumers to cast a desired role. Capitalist societies measure success by wealth and the individual pressure to keep up with the group is not about being the fastest, but avoiding being the slowest.

P. 36

Humans consume meaning, not matter. Objects simply provide the canvas for these connotations for the user. These reflections help individuals to construct their own identity and shape their future.