Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough

by Clive Hamilton

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Description

The Western world is in the grip of a consumerism that is unique in human history. We overwork, we spend huge amounts on things we never use, then we chuck them out. The author of the bestselling Growth Fetish pries into our wardrobes, kitchens and backyards, and shows us what choice really means.

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Member Reviews

3 reviews
"Affluenza" - "the bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to keep up with the Joneses" - is another cog in the machine of unsustainability, and my generation in particular, has to wake up to it really fast. This book explains how the marketing machine works to keep us perpetually buying new "stuff" and how although we are told it will make us happier, is in fact, making us withdrawn and dissatisfied with life in general. Definitely well worth the read.

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Author Information

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23+ Works 1,052 Members
Clive Hamilton is professor of public ethics at Charles Sturt University in Canberra.

Awards and Honors

Common Knowledge

Epigraph
Af-flu-en-za n. 1. The bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to keep up with the Joneses. 2. An epidemic of stress, overwork, waste and indebtedness caused by dogged pursuit of the Australian dre... (show all)am. 3. An unsustainable addiction to economic growth.
First words
In 2004 the Australian economy grew by over $25 billion, yet the tenor of public debate suggests that the country is in a dire situation.
Blurbers
Doogue, Geraldine; Spencer, Adam
Canonical DDC/MDS
303.4; 303

Classifications

Genres
Sociology, Nonfiction, Economics, General Nonfiction, Business
DDC/MDS
303.4Society, Government, and CultureSocial sciences, sociology & anthropologySocial processesSocial change
LCC
HC79 .C6 .H36Social sciencesEconomic history and conditionsEconomic history and conditionsSpecial topics
BISAC

Statistics

Members
235
Popularity
137,994
Reviews
2
Rating
(3.81)
Languages
English
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
4
ASINs
1