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Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior Paperback – May 25, 2010

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Geoffrey Miller (Author)
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4.1 out of 5 stars 59 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Books (May 25, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0143117238
  • ISBN-13: 978-0143117230
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,621 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starssafe for consumption
By Dr. Fred J. Mbogo on May 18, 2009
Format: Hardcover
True to the spirit of this book, I purchased a flawless copy of it at a library book sale for $5 (I believe it was an unread review copy). As an insatiable reader of Evolutionary Psychology books, I immediately read it, even though I have several thousand other books previously purchased from library sales waiting in my queue. This is one of the most entertaining books I have read, both in terms of its academic content and the writing style (the author has a great sense of humor). The book does not assume background knowledge, though I found that it tied together ideas I had previously encountered in books such as "The Moral Animal", The Third Chimpanzee", "The Red Queen", "The Origins of Virtue", "The Economic Naturalist", etc. (all of which I also highly recommend). The description of consumers as narcissists (great spelling bee word, I hope I got it right) and the various discussions of the central six personality traits are quite thought-provoking. The author isn't afraid to discuss issues backed by evidence that are, however, "politically incorrect", such as the negative effects of the dearth of shared norms in culturally diverse communities. The book also stays consistently well-written and informative throughout (i.e. it shows no evidence of the last third of the book being rushed to meet a deadline or padded to meet a length requirement). The section toward the end about consumption taxes and negative/positive externalities should be required reading for everyone.

One final thing I admire about the book. Concerned parties (author, publisher, editor, etc.) didn't submit a fake 5-star first review posted by someone who has only reviewed one book and writes in an obviously promotional style. I think this book will receive great reviews based on merit. I actually read the book and highly recommend it.

Oh, one other thing. The jacket design is superb. The picture reminds me of myself hunting/gathering at Trader Joe's.
7 Comments 133 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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5.0 out of 5 starsI buy, therefore I am
By Julie Neal VINE VOICE on May 21, 2009
Format: Hardcover
My husband and I play a game when we drive: he points out a car and I tell him what I think that driver thinks other people think of his choice of car. Then I say what I think it really reveals. A Hummer? The driver is a primal hunter-gatherer, powerful and dripping in testosterone. There are very different stories about the Jeep with no doors, the yellow Beetle, the big slow Cadillac.

Spent is all about the prehistoric origins behind the decisions to buy these cars, and every other product, as well. The science of human nature, called evolutionary psychology, teaches us that people decide to buy stuff to advertise "our biological potential as mates and friends." Understanding the reasons behind these decisions can help us become better consumers, and more aware of why people act the way they do.

It's a fascinating read! The idea that you can use the Info section on Facebook to accurately sum up a person is right on target. And I loved the quiz identifying the Central 6 human characteristics: General intelligence, openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, stability and extraversion. Apparently I'm very open and pretty extraverted; I'll have to work on my stability!

Here's the chapter list:

1. Darwin Goes to the Mall
2. The Genius of Marketing
3. Why Marketing is Central to Culture
4. This Is Your Brain on Money
5. The Fundamental Consumerist Delusion
6. Flaunting Fitness
7. Conspicuous Waste, Precision and Reputation
8. Self-Branding Bodies, Self-Marketing Minds
9. The Central Six
10. Traits That Consumers Flaunt and Marketers Ignore
11. General Intelligence
12. Openness
13. Conscientiousness
14. Agreeableness
15. The Centrifugal Soul
16. The Will to Display
17. Legalizing Freedom
Exercises for the Reader
Further Reading and Viewing
4 Comments 55 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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3.0 out of 5 starsfascinating, frustrating
By C. P. Anderson on September 14, 2009
Format: Hardcover
This book is an evolutionary psychology (EP) look at consumerism. If you're not familiar with EP, this is probably not the best introduction (try Buss, Dawkins, or Ridley instead). If you are, this is definitely worth a read.

Miller focuses on trait display (how we show others we are worth mating with) as expressed through purchases. He concentrates a lot on the OCEAN personality inventory (also known as the Big 5), plus intelligence. OCEAN means openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. It's an inventory that has a lot more validity and serious research behind it than, say, something like Myers-Briggs (see Personality: What Makes You the Way You Are for more).

On the plus side, Miller has some fascinating insights. He also has a good writing style and a wicked sense of humor.

On the negative ... well, there's quite a bit. The first problem I saw was his having a really hard time simply getting to the point. It takes until chapter 3 before he really gets into it.

What does he spend the first two chapters doing? One is talking about himself. In fact, he's rather enamored and engages in quite a bit of trait signaling on his own. Take the section called About This Author. On the surface, he's letting you know his particular biases. A little reading, though, and it seems more like a personals ad: listens to Tori Amos and Ani DeFranco, drives a Land Cruiser, is a feminist and environmentalist, has lived abroad, has some impressive academic credentials, reads cool books, watches hip movies.

Another is going off on diversions.Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 starsAlmost great

For almost all of the book I was thinking, "I can't believe there is actually a liberal who can think clearly and without letting his bias get in the way of his... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Steve Heller
5.0 out of 5 starsFun and fascinating read!

Fun and fascinating read! Seems like a good introduction to the topic.

Published 1 month ago by Matt Gillespie
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

insightful.

Published 1 month ago by shelley short
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

ok

Published 4 months ago by s
5.0 out of 5 starsThere are great examples and even humor in this indepth study of ...

This book introduces evolutionary psychology then goes on to explain how it accounts for so much of where we are and what we do now. Read more

Published 11 months ago by Kimber Lee
5.0 out of 5 starsTerrific book! Great insight into society

Terrific book! Great insight into society. Should be taught in high school. I checked this book out from the library and ended up buying a copy from amazon because I wanted to... Read more

Published 13 months ago by Sam
4.0 out of 5 starsRare theory of consumer culture between psychology and politics

Very respectful mix of critique and appreciation in this analysis of consumer culture. Uniquely positions consumer culture in an evolutionary framework. Read more

Published 21 months ago by Reid Wegner
3.0 out of 5 starsThree Stars

Interesting from the marketing standpoint.

Published 21 months ago by Greg Hall
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat book. Shows that the Big 5 personality Traits ...

Great book. Shows that the Big 5 personality Traits isn't just another run of the mill system created by someone to describe people because it is the first system that evolved from... Read more

Published 23 months ago by Daniel Capote
4.0 out of 5 starsThought Provoking

Will make you look at consumerism in a new light and be more aware of what you buy and why

Published 24 months ago by MB

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