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by: John De Graaf, David Wann, Thomas H. Naylor
Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 306.0973
EAN: 9781576751510
ISBN: 1576751511
Label: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Manufacturer: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 275
Publication Date: June 09, 2001
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Sales Rank: 457001
Studio: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Related Items:
Editorial Review:
Product Description:
'Affluenza' is about the personal, social, economic and environmental costs of over-consumption - and what we can do to beat the 'all-consuming bug' that's infecting the planet. The book presents symptoms (such as stress of excess, family convulsions, dilated pupils, resource exhaustion); historical and cultural origins; and proven cures. Here, in one source, is an accessible, humorous overview of a subject that is usually difficult to tie together. Looking at it as a single disease helps us connect the dots. The book is both accessible and academically rigorous and is directly linked with a popular TV series seen by 10 million people. It presents alternatives to the 'American Dream' via five years of research and fascinating facts and data. There are short, interesting interviews with the best thinkers on this subject together with dozens of ideas and examples for improving our lives. The reader should be left with a feeling that we can 'beat the bug'.
Amazon.com Review:
In their eye-opening, soul-prodding look at the excess of American society, the authors of Affluenza include two quotations that encapsulate much of the book: T.S. Eliot's line 'We are the hollow men / We are the stuffed men,' which opens one of this book's chapters, and a quote from a newspaper article that notes 'We are a nation that shouts at a microwave oven to hurry up.' If these observations make you grimace at your own ruthless consumption or sigh at the hurried pace of your life, you may already be ill. Read on.
The definition of affluenza, according to de Graaf, Wann, and Naylor, is something akin to 'a painful, contagious, socially-transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.' It's a powerful virus running rampant in our society, infecting our souls, affecting our wallets and financial well-being, and threatening to destroy not only the environment but also our families and communities. Having begun life as two PBS programs coproduced by de Graaf, this book takes a hard look at the symptoms of affluenza, the history of its development into an epidemic, and the options for treatment. In examining this pervasive disease in an age when 'the urge to splurge continues to surge,' the first section is the book's most provocative. According to figures the authors quote and expound upon, Americans each spend more than $21,000 per year on consumer goods, our average rate of saving has fallen from about 10 percent of our income in 1980 to zero in 2000, our credit card indebtedness tripled in the 1990s, more people are filing for bankruptcy each year than graduate from college, and we spend more for trash bags than 90 of the world's 210 countries spend for everything. 'To live, we buy,' explain the authors--everything from food and good sex to religion and recreation--all the while squelching our intrinsic curiosity, self-motivation, and creativity. They offer historical, political, and socioeconomic reasons that affluenza has taken such strong root in our society, and in the final section, offer practical ideas for change. These use the intriguing stories of those who have already opted for simpler living and who are creatively combating the disease, from making simple habit alterations to taking more in-depth environmental considerations, and from living lightly to managing wealth responsibly.
Many books make you think the author has crammed everything he or she knows into it. The feeling you get reading Affluenza is quite different; the authors appear well-read, well-rounded, and intelligent, knowledgeable beyond the content of their book but smart enough to realize that we need a short, sharp jolt to recognize our current ailment. It's a well-worn cliché that money can't buy happiness, but this book will strike a chord with anyone who realizes that more time is more valuable than toys, and that our relentless quest for the latest stuff is breeding sick individuals and sick societies. Affluenza is, in fact, a clarion call for those interested in being part of the solution. --S. Ketchum
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Affluenza: The all-confusing epidemic
I originally purchased this book with the intention of having my strongly held beliefs regarding consumerism and materialism verified. I expected this read to consist primarily of me nodding my head in agreement as the authors trumpeted the evils of the consumerist lifestyle and brought their years of research and experience in this area to bear on this so very relevant and problematic issue. However, this did not turn out to be the case. After about page 10 I realised that something was wrong with ... Read More
Rating: - Afflu-Repetitive
I had to read this book for summer reading for an AP Gov course. It was a dreadful experience. It was very difficult to force myself to read more than one chapter per sitting because of the book's repetitiveness and dullness. If you actually want to read it, let me save you the time while I summarize it:
-Spend more time hiking than working.
-Don't get a well paying job, because it will make you miserable and you will undoubtedly go into dept.
-take a low paying job, because ... Read More
Rating: - A failure of a book.
I bought this book after deciding it had a cool cover and reading a couple reviews promising to provide me insight. Maybe it would have, but I simply cannot read this because within the first few paragraphs I've noticed the following:
1. The common video rental store Blockbuster has been called "Blockbuster's" by the author. Not only is this just incorrect, but it doesn't even make sense.
2. A reference to a "Nintendo Play Station" has been made.
This perturbs me ... Read More
Rating:  - Are You Infected!
Odds are you're infected with affluenza but, don't worry, there is a cure. You'll just need to take the medicine. This book is both entertaining and thought provoking.
Take an honest look at the degree of your illness, make some changes to how you think and the results could amaze you. They say the best things in life are free but some of us had to buy this book (the book's not free) to really appreciate that.
Rating:  - Earlier edition a bit dated now
I read a first edition (2001) from the library and while the book is good it is very dated. Newer edition may improve the suggestions part as that was where i feel the book was weakest. Excellent history of consumption in the US.
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