Larry L wrote:
and they're not yuppies.




I think we need a new word to be used for people caught up in what is ....
to me.... an obvious cultural surge of consumption, for the sake of
consumption.

Sure, all humans have always liked nice things and comfortable surroundings
but, at least where I live and observe the world, there has been a big
change in the last couple generations.

IMHO, for large numbers of people in our culture, "owning" is replacing (
or an attempt to replace ) traditional spiritual and social aspects of human
life. That is, people are trying to buy things to fill the empty places
inside that real chats ( not cell phone stuck receiver stuck Borg-like to
ear or e-mails ) with other people and with "god" have filled for most
people in the past. It is very easy to find people now that can put no
deeper meaning on their own lives than what they recently bought. The
word "yuppie" never seems quite right for them but we need one as they are a
big and getting bigger part of our world and why that world is going the
current directions.



"Liberal" or "progressive" seems to fit your analysis.