Affluenza: How Overconsumption Is Killing Us--And How to Fight Back (Third Edition, New)

A "witty yet hard-hitting" look at the symptoms, causes, and cures for America's addiction to buying more stuff ( Library Journal ). NEW EDITION, REVISED AND UPDATED affluenza, n. a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more. We tried to warn you! The 2008 economic collapse proved how resilient and dangerous affluenza can be. Now in its third edition, this book can safely be called prophetic in showing how problems ranging from loneliness, endless working hours, and family conflict to rising debt, environmental pollution, and rampant commercialism are all symptoms of this global plague. The new edition traces the role overconsumption played in the Great Recession, discusses new ways to measure social health and success (such as the Gross Domestic Happiness index), and offers policy recommendations to make our society more simplicity-friendly. The underlying message isn't to stop buying—it's to remember, always, that the best things in life aren't things. "It is not a book that shakes a finger in our faces and reprimands hardworking Americans for wanting a little more comfort, elegance, and enjoyment... it creates something of real value—a new way of accounting for true happiness in our lives." —Scott Simon, Weekend Edition host, NPR " Affluenza is a sober indictment of the excesses and sheer waste in our increasingly consumer-oriented society. We would all be well served to read the book and pass it on to relatives, friends, and neighbors in the hopes of creating a great public conversation around how to eradicate the affluenza pandemic." —Jeremy Rifkin, author of The Third Industrial Revolution We Tried To Warn You! The 2008 Economic Collapse Proved How Resilient And Dangerous Affluenza Can Be. This Book Can Safely Be Called Prophetic In Showing How Problems Ranging From Loneliness, Endless Working Hours, And Family Conflict To Rising Debt, Environmental Pollution, And Rampant Commercialism Are All Symptoms Of This Global Plague. The New Edition Traces The Role Overconsumption Played In The Great Recession, Discusses New Ways To Measure Social Health And Success (such As The Gross Domestic Happiness Index), And Offers Policy Recommendations To Make Our Society More Simplicity-friendly. The Underlying Message Isn't To Stop Buying - It's To Remember, Always, That The Best Things In Life Aren't Things. Pt. 1. Symptoms -- Feverish Expectations -- All Stuffed Up -- Stressed To Kill -- Family Fractures -- Community Chills -- Heart Failure -- Social Scars -- Resource Exhaustion -- Industrial Diarrhea -- A Cancerous Culture -- Pt. 2. Causes -- Early Infections -- An Ounce Of Prevention -- The Road Not Taken -- An Emerging Epidemic -- The Age Of Affluenza -- Spin Doctors -- Pt. 3. Cures -- Diagnostic Test -- Bed Rest -- Affluholics Anonymous -- Fresh Air -- Back To Work -- Building Community -- Policy Prescriptions -- Vital Signs -- The Glow Of Health. John De Graaf, David Wann, Thomas H. Naylor. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 255-262) And Index. NEW EDITION, REVISED AND UPDATED

affluenza, n. a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.

We tried to warn you! The 2008 economic collapse proved how resilient and dangerous affluenza can be. Now in its third edition, this book can safely be called prophetic in showing how problems ranging from loneliness, endless working hours, and family conflict to rising debt, environmental pollution, and rampant commercialism are all symptoms of this global plague.

The new edition traces the role overconsumption played in the Great Recession, discusses new ways to measure social health and success (such as the Gross Domestic Happiness index), and offers policy recommendations to make our society more simplicity-friendly. The underlying message isn't to stop buying "Focusing on the socialist housewives, settlement workers, and left-wing feminists who were the main allies of working women between the 1880s and World War I, The Rising of the Women explores the successes and failures of the "united fronts" within which middle- and working-class American women worked together to improve social and economic conditions for female laborers." "Through detailed studies of the Woman's Trade Union League, the Illinois Women's Alliance, the New York shirtwaist makers strike of 1909-10, and the 1912 textile workers strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Meredith Tax uncovers the circumstances that helped and hindered cross-class and cross-gender cooperation on behalf of women of the working class. In a new introduction to this first Illinois paperback edition, Tax assesses the progress of women's solidarity since the book's original publication."--BOOK JACKET

focusing On The Socialist Housewives, Settlement Workers, And Left-wing Feminists Who Were The Main Allies Of Working Women Between The 1880s And World War I, the Rising Of The Women Explores The Successes And Failures Of The United Fronts Within Which Middle- And Working-class American Women Worked Together To Improve Social And Economic Conditions For Female Laborers.

Through Detailed Studies Of The Illinois Women's Alliance, The Woman's Trade Union League, The New York Shirtwaist Makers Strike Of 1909-10, And The 1912 Textile Workers Strike In Lawrence, Massachusetts, Meredith Tax Uncovers The Circumstances That Helped And Hindered Cross-class And Cross-gender Cooperation On Behalf Of Women Of The Working Class. In A New Introduction To This First Illinois Paperback Edition, Tax Assesses The Progress Of Women's Solidarity Since The Book's Original Publication.

Cover; Contents; Foreword; Introduction; PART ONE: SYMPTOMS; 1. Feverish expectations; 2. All stuffed up; 3. Stressed to kill; 4. Family fractures; 5. Community chills; 6. Heart failure; 7. Social scars; 8. Resource exhaustion; 9. Industrial diarrhea; 10. A cancerous culture; PART TWO: CAUSES; 11. Early infections; 12. An ounce of prevention; 13. The road not taken; 14. An emerging epidemic; 15. The Age of Affluenza; 16. Spin doctors; PART THREE: CURES; 17. Diagnostic test; 18. Bed rest; 19. Affluholics anonymous; 20. Fresh air; 21. Back to work; 22. Building immunity To a turn-of-the-century Marxist like Theresa Malkiel, it was a truism that the modern struggle for women's liberation was born of the same economic developments that produced the class struggle: as women began to work outside the home, they learned to resent their condition of domestic servitude and to demand the same rights as the men of their class. Focusing on the socialist housewives, settlement workers, and feminists who were main allies of working women between the 1880s and World War I, this book explores the successes and failures of the " united fronts" within which middle- and working-class American women worked together to improve social and economic conditions for female laborers.