Comfort, Cleanliness and Convenience: The Social Organization of Normality (New Technologies / New Cultures)

Over the past few generations, expectations of comfort, cleanliness and convenience have altered radically, but these dramatic changes have largely gone unnoticed. This intriguing book brings together the sociology of consumption and technology to investigate the evolution of these changes, as well the social meaning of the practices themselves.Homes, offices, domestic appliances and clothes play a crucial role in our lives, but not many of us question exactly how and why we perform so many daily rituals associated with them. Showers, heating, air-conditioning and clothes washing are simply accepted as part of our normal, everyday lives, but clearly this was not always the case. When did the ‘daily shower’ become de rigueur? What effect has air conditioning had on the siesta – at one time an integral part of Mediterranean life and culture? This book interrogates the meaning and supposed ‘normality’ of these practices and draws disturbing conclusions. There is clear evidence supporting the view that routine consumption is controlled by conceptions of normality and profoundly shaped by cultural and economic forces. Shove maintains that habits are not just changing, but are changing in ways that imply escalating and standardizing patterns of consumption. This shrewd and engrossing analysis shows just how far the social meanings and practices of comfort, cleanliness and convenience have eluded us. Homes, Offices, Domestic Appliances And Clothes Play A Crucial Role In Our Lives, But Not Many Of Us Question Exactly How And Why We Perform So Many Daily Rituals Associated With Them. Showers, Heating, Air Conditioning And Clothes Washing Are Simply Accepted As Part Of Our Normal, Everyday Lives, But Clearly This Was Not Always The Case. When Did The 'daily Shower' Become De Rigueur? What Effect Has Air Conditioning Had On The Siesta - At One Time An Integral Part Of Mediterranean Life And Culture? This Book Interrogates The Meaning And Supposed 'normality' Of These Practices And Draws Disturbing Conclusions. There Is Clear Evidence Supporting The View That Routine Consumption Is Controlled By Conceptions Of Normality And Profoundly Shaped By Cultural And Economic Forces. Shove Maintains That Habits Are Not Just Changing, But Are Changing In Ways That Imply Escalating And Standardizing Patterns Of Consumption. This Shrewd And Engrossing Analysis Shows Just How Far The Social Meanings And Practices Of Comfort, Cleanliness And Convenience Have Eluded Us.--jacket. Consumption, Everyday Life And Sustainability -- Natural Resources And Consumer Choices -- Cycles Of Consumption And Escalators Of Demand -- Trajectories And Transitions -- Reconfiguring Practice -- Method And Approach -- The Science Of Comfort : Constructing Normality -- Defining Comfort : A State Of Mind, An Attribute Or An Achievement? -- Playing God With The Indoor Climate -- Quantifying Comfort -- Qualifying Comfort -- Constructing Comfort -- The Co-evolution Of Comfort : Interdependence And Innovation -- Dimensions And Dynamics -- Difference And Coherence : Acquiring And Using Air-conditioning -- Diffusion, Diversity And Lighting -- Comfort As Collective Practice : The Siesta -- Reconfiguring Comfort -- Regimes Of Comfort : Systems In Transition -- Levels, Layers And Landscapes -- Convergence, Abstraction And Reversal -- Escalating And Standardizing Concepts Of Comfort -- Introducing Cleanliness : Morality, Technology And Practice -- Questions Of Cleanliness --^ Morality, Technology And Practice -- Humours, Miasmas And Germs -- Dirt And Discrimination -- Commodifying Cleanliness -- Qualifying Cleanliness -- Behind The Bathroom Door : Revolving Rationales -- Bathroom Consumption -- Reasons And Rationales -- Understanding Bathing And Showering -- Bath-time Stories -- Power Showering In Theory And Practice -- Laundering : A System Of Systems -- Laundering As Work -- Escalating Standards Or Redefining Service? -- Why Wash? -- What Is Washed? -- When Is The Laundry Done? -- What Does 'doing The Laundry' Involve? -- The Laundry As A System Of Systems -- Laundry Habits : Integrating Practices -- Classifications And Categories -- Innovation And Tradition -- Millers Of Meaning And Practice -- System And Service -- Reconsidering Cleanliness -- Reconfiguring Routine -- Redefining Service -- Convenience, Co-ordination And Convention -- Convenience And The Pace Of Life -- Co-ordination And Fragmentation -- Convenience Devices -- Rush And Calm --^ Convenience And Convention -- Ratchets, Pinwheels, Cogs And Spirals -- Regimes, Services And The Reorganization Of Normality -- Models And Mechanisms -- Resetting The Agenda : Consumption, Everyday -- Life And Sustainability. Elizabeth Shove. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 201-213) And Index. Over the past few generations, expectations of comfort, cleanliness and convenience have altered radically, but these dramatic changes have largely gone unnoticed. This intriguing book brings together the sociology of consumption and technology to investigate the evolution of these changes, as well the social meaning of the practices themselves. Homes, offices, domestic appliances and clothes play a crucial role in our lives, but not many of us question exactly how and why we perform so many daily rituals associated with them. Showers, heating, air-conditioning and clothes washing are simply accepted as part of our normal, everyday lives, but clearly this was not always the case. When did the daily shower become de rigueur? What effect has air conditioning had on the siesta at one time an integral part of Mediterranean life and culture? This book interrogates the meaning and supposed normality of these practices and draws disturbing conclusions. There is clear evidence supporting the view that routine consumption is controlled by conceptions of normality and profoundly shaped by cultural and economic forces. Shove maintains that habits are not just changing, but are changing in ways that imply escalating and standardizing patterns of consumption. This shrewd and engrossing analysis shows just how far the social meanings and practices of comfort, cleanliness and convenience have eluded us. Over the past few generations, expectations of comfort, cleanliness and convenience have altered radically, but these dramatic changes have largely gone unnoticed. This intriguing book brings together the sociology of consumption and technology to in vestigate the evolution of these changes, as well the social meaning of the practices themselves. Homes, offices, domestic appliances and clothes play a crucial role in our lives, but not many of us question exactly how and why we perform so many dai ly rituals associated with them. Showers, heating, air-conditioning and clothes washing are simply.