Desires and destinies : consumption and the spirit of Confucianism

The "desires" and "destinies" of this lecture are centred on the social life of persons and of things, and their linkages and representations within the contexts of consumption and Confucianism, which constitute two of the most conspicuous social movements in China in recent years.

As China turns ever westward, the conflict between the new consumerism and the old Confucianism becomes ever more apparent, as does the divide between those that embrace Western values and those that feel cheated by the West and have become ideologically disillusioned.