Belonging

Belonging has dual, related meanings. First, it refers to a personal object or possession (e.g., the chair was his favorite belonging). Alternatively, the term refers to a sense of inclusion in a social category or group (e.g., club activities promote a strong sense of belonging). In English usage, the verb “to belong” was first recorded in 1340, meaning “to be along or relate to.” The first recorded use of the noun dates [Page 92]to 1817, meaning “goods or effects.” However, the concept of belonging predates the English usage of the word.

A belonging implies ownership of a tangible object, specifically for personal use and satisfaction. The archaeological record suggests that prehistorical societies, even those with a seemingly egalitarian social structure and communitarian resource distribution, had some notion of personal belongings. Such effects are often found buried with human remains. Research with more contemporary egalitarian societies corroborates these findings, illustrating that although access to the means and yield of production may be shared and there is a sense of social equality, some objects come to be associated with an individual, including tools, items of personal adornment, and clothing. However, with growing social complexity, a stronger division of labor, alienation, and the introduction of capitalist economic and social relations, the concept of personal property becomes increasingly relevant. Yet there remains significant cultural diversity in the conceptualization of belongings. While some societies have formal and standardized laws pertaining to personal and private property, others have a dynamic, less formal vision. Further, some societies associate the accumulation of personal belongings with prestige, while others attribute more prestige to those who eschew material wealth or work to redistribute it within the group.

In its second usage, belonging refers to a sense of inclusion. This concept also has deeper historical roots than the word's etymology suggests. Humans are social beings, organized into dependent and cooperative social groups. For much of human history, an individual's sense of belonging was determined by one's relations, descent line, or clan. These relations continue to provide an important category for social organization and a sense of belonging among family members. However, in societies characterized by large populations, social complexity, mobility, and multiculturalism, non-kin means of social organization become increasingly important. In such circumstances, individuals are situated within the confluence of myriad social categories and simultaneously maintain membership in multiple social groups. Regardless of whether an individual feels the greatest connection to a small kin-based group, a church-based community, a generation, a racial group, or a combination thereof, humans are naturally social creatures. We seek out others to whom we can relate, who share our values, and whom we can trust. These groups provide validation, acceptance, and support. It is widely agreed that a sense of belonging is essential to human psychological and emotional well-being.

The two uses of the term belonging previously described are interconnected and highly relevant to the study of consumer culture. An individual's belongings help to determine an individual's sense of belonging. Social theorists from Karl Marx to Jean Baudrillard and Mary Douglas have drawn our attention to the symbolic nature of objects. Personal belongings are valuable not only for their practical utility, exchange value, or the labor and resources embodied within, but also because they play an essential role in the communicative framework of society. Within any social group, material objects become symbols of implicit values and ideals. When individuals choose personal belongings, they are simultaneously choosing the people with whom they wish to relate. Thus, individuals choose personal possessions that are consistent with their preferences. However, those preferences, whether acknowledged or not, are heavily influenced by the norms of the groups to which an individual wishes to belong. From this perspective, personal possessions are symbols of belonging, conformity, and acceptance.

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