Stuff
eBook - ePub

Stuff

Humanity's Epic Journey from Naked Ape to Nonstop Shopper

  1. English
  2. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Stuff

Humanity's Epic Journey from Naked Ape to Nonstop Shopper

About this book

Over 3 million years ago, our ancestors realised that rocks could be broken apart for sharp edges, to cut and slice meat. The discovery made for a good meal. It also changed the fate of our species and our planet.

In this lively and learned book, Chip Colwell charts three great leaps in humankind's relationship with objects and belongings, from the discovery of tools to the production of endless commodities. How did we start out as primates who needed nothing, and end up as people who need everything? With colourful characters, astonishing archaeological discoveries, and reflections from philosophy and culture, Colwell's quest for answers takes readers to places both spectacular and strange: the Italian cave featuring the world's first painted art; a Hong Kong skyscraper where a priestess channels the gods; a mountain of trash whose height rivals Big Ben or the Statue of Liberty.

Humans make stuff, but our stuff makes us human—and our love affair with things may be our downfall. With landfills brimming and oceans drowning in plastic, now is the time for a fourth and final leap for humanity: to reevaluate our relationship to the things that make, and could break, our world.

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Yes, you can access Stuff by Chip Colwel in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Social Sciences & Sociology. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Title
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. On the Origin of Things: An Introduction
  8. LEAP 1: MAKE TOOLS
  9. 1. First Things First
  10. 2. The Matter at Hand
  11. 3. Everything under the Sun
  12. LEAP 2: MAKE MEANING
  13. 4. A Thing of Beauty
  14. 5. Articles of Faith
  15. 6. All Things to All People
  16. LEAP 3: MAKE MORE
  17. 7. In the Thick of Things
  18. 8. A Material World
  19. 9. Too Much of a Good Thing
  20. On the Future of Things: A Conclusion
  21. Acknowledgments
  22. Key Terms and Concepts
  23. Notes
  24. References
  25. Index
  26. Back cover