Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough [Paperback]

Clive Hamilton (Author), Richard Denniss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2006

Anyone concerned about the level of their personal debt or frustrated by the rat race of aspiring to an affluent lifestyle will appreciate this critique of the effects of over-consumption. This analysis pulls no punches as it describes both the problem and what can be done to stop it. Analyzing the increasing rates of stress, depression, and obesity as possible effects of the consumption binge currently gripping the Western world, this report tracks how Australians overwork, the growing number of things thrown out, self-medicated drugs, and the real meaning of the word choice.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Bristling with wit and a sense of intimacy that leaves readers experiencing a reading of shared incredulity 'Herald Sun

About the Author

Clive Hamilton is the author of Growth Fetish. He is the executive director of The Australia Institute, Australia's foremost public-interest think tank. He has held visiting positions at the Australian National University, the University of Sydney, and the University of Cambridge. Richard Denniss is the deputy director of The Australia Institute. He has taught economics at the University of Newcastle and served as chief of staff to Senator Natasha Stott Despoja.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Allen & Unwin (April 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1741146712
• ISBN-13: 978-1741146714
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #363,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hopefully the start of a trend - the reduction in consumption, June 10, 2006

By 

A. Woodley "Patroness, Janeites, the Austen list" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough (Paperback)

A chilling tale of modern consumption gone mad, of the availability of so much yet causing so little happiness. It seems the more we consume the less happy we are. Our houses are bigger than ever, but our families are smalle. OUr children go to the best schools but we hardly see them. We have more money than ever before yet we are crippled under staggeringly high debt, more than ever before - the authors ask the question - what is going on?

They support this ably with graphed research however unfortunately the graphs were not well referenced so I have no idea as to their veracity, so when they mention a 23% proportion of 20-50 year olds 'downsizing' their lifestyle in the last 10 years I just don't know where they got this figure from, or indeed how valid. However while this was a distraction, I did find this book had some extremely major strengths
1 - it is well written,
2 - it is more than just scare tactics, It is thoughtful and thought provoking about the way we live
3 - it offers actually practical solutions as well as philosophical idealism. The conclusion is a series of ideals and how we can go about meeting them.

There have been others talking about the unhappiness bought about by mass consumerism, this is a nice book to start at to understand the issues.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting, at a macro level, July 8, 2006

By 

Naomi12345 (Brisbane, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough (Paperback)

This book was facinating and easy to read- a rare combination of meticulous research and good writing. The author systematically explains the different aspects of society where affluenza is changing our way of life- it's scary stuff. But I was left thinking, what do I do about it? The author's few page 'manifesto' at the end of the book is too little, too late for me. I would have liked to see some practical tips in each chapter about what ordinary people can do to combat affluenza.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good premise spoiled by a weak ending, August 10, 2009

By 

G. Perera "Internet coach" (Perth, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough (Paperback)

Hamilton and Denniss present an interesting argument about Australian society: We're addicted to consumption. They claim we're more affluent than ever, and the "Aussie battler" image is a myth.

They don't say there aren't poor people in Australia; it's just that we've raised the bar considerably on what we consider "necessities" for life. In other words, it's not only the rich who are getting richer, it's also the poor and middle class getting richer but still claiming to be poor. The problem, they say, is not being consumers; it's being addicted to being consumers.

They organise their argument well into three sections: Describing the problem, outlining some of its (ill) effects; and then proposing solutions. In the first two sections, they present a wealth of statistics and data to support their position. However, the third section - where they propose solutions - is curiously weak, and they offer very little facts or research to support their recommendations.

In fact, they often betray a clear left-wing bias in their proposed solutions, rather than basing them on solid research. This even spills over into mind reading, with ridiculous statements like, "Although not willing to say so, neoliberals believe ...".

In other areas, they are just plain wrong. For instance, in the area of Internet censorship, where I do have some technical knowledge and experience, they say:

"When presented with polling showing that 93 per cent of parents of teenagers want governments to take responsibility for the problem and require Internet service providers to filter content, both the Liberal Party and the Labor Party respond that parents should take responsibility for their children's conduct. The financial interest of the Internet industry is put before the emotional health of Australia's young people."

This conclusion is shamelessly stated without any supporting evidence whatsoever, and without even a basic knowledge of the facts. Australia is one of the few countries in the world that does censor the Internet, and has been doing so since legislation to that effect was passed in 1999. However, technical experts know it's impossible for this to be an effective solution, and parental control is required. The fact that polling shows "93 per cent of parents of teenagers want governments to take responsibility" is neither here nor there - it simply indicates they don't understand what that entails.

You could argue that this is nit-picking, but for authors who present in-depth arguments for the first two-thirds of their book, their proposed solutions lack that same depth, and come across as weak and shallow.

Does that taint the book as a whole? Not necessarily, but I'd suggest you read it with a skeptical mind.