作者Warna Oosterbaan是一名“物件”研究员，专门探讨人类该如何看待地球上这么多多余的东西。很快的，我们能够储存的地方会渐渐消息、会出现越来越多垃圾场、地球的气候面临越来越大的危机。这些物品不是我们的问题，问题是人类对于物品的以来以及亲密关系。物品给人类带来安慰、安全感、乐趣、便利，我们该如何戒掉这个爱好？

当物品越来越多，我们对于它们的享受度却越来越低。现在的科技也越来越先进，我们对于事物的了解也越来越低。但是，我们总是要更多、更好、更新的东西。这就是现代的消费主义。我们必须重新思考自己对于物品的关系，以及物品在我们生命中扮演的角色。作者用他的分析，透过社会学、哲学、考古文学以及现代流行学来探讨我们世界的物品。他提倡一种非新的物质主义，更可持续的物质知识、更少一次性物品、一种对于物品的新享受以及欣赏能力。

关于作者：

WARNA OOSTERBAAN (1947) is a journalist and sociologist. He writes for nrc Handelsblad, where he worked as an editor for many years. He has published eight books, including Motor Soul and Our Estate. Identity, Heritage, Cultural Dynamics, which was awarded the E. du Perron prize.

好评：

“Oosterbaan looks at how things affect us in a personal and a scientific way. It’s all brilliantly relatable.” • • • • • – nrc Handelsblad

“Oosterbaan, sociologist and journalist, explains in an illuminating and appealing way what we do with things and what they do with us. And concludes that all these things are going a bit over the top.” – Trouw

“Warna Oosterbaan has the amazing gift of naming and describing the obvious. Suddenly, as a reader, you are aware of the special relationship you have with all your things. […] In addition to getting rid of things, the book also deals with the ordering, tidying and repairing of things. Here too, the book makes you look at the obvious with fresh eyes. That is what makes The World of Things so unique.” – Mixed Grill