The High Price of Materialism
Aug 2003 · MIT Press
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About this ebook
A study of how materialism and consumerism undermine our quality of life.
In The High Price of Materialism, Tim Kasser offers a scientific explanation of how our contemporary culture of consumerism and materialism affects our everyday happiness and psychological health. Other writers have shown that once we have sufficient food, shelter, and clothing, further material gains do little to improve our well-being. Kasser goes beyond these findings to investigate how people's materialistic desires relate to their well-being. He shows that people whose values center on the accumulation of wealth or material possessions face a greater risk of unhappiness, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and problems with intimacy—regardless of age, income, or culture.
Drawing on a decade's worth of empirical data, Kasser examines what happens when we organize our lives around materialistic pursuits. He looks at the effects on our internal experience and interpersonal relationships, as well as on our communities and the world at large. He shows that materialistic values actually undermine our well-being, as they perpetuate feelings of insecurity, weaken the ties that bind us, and make us feel less free. Kasser not only defines the problem but proposes ways we can change ourselves, our families, and society to become less materialistic.
In The High Price of Materialism, Tim Kasser offers a scientific explanation of how our contemporary culture of consumerism and materialism affects our everyday happiness and psychological health. Other writers have shown that once we have sufficient food, shelter, and clothing, further material gains do little to improve our well-being. Kasser goes beyond these findings to investigate how people's materialistic desires relate to their well-being. He shows that people whose values center on the accumulation of wealth or material possessions face a greater risk of unhappiness, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and problems with intimacy—regardless of age, income, or culture.
Drawing on a decade's worth of empirical data, Kasser examines what happens when we organize our lives around materialistic pursuits. He looks at the effects on our internal experience and interpersonal relationships, as well as on our communities and the world at large. He shows that materialistic values actually undermine our well-being, as they perpetuate feelings of insecurity, weaken the ties that bind us, and make us feel less free. Kasser not only defines the problem but proposes ways we can change ourselves, our families, and society to become less materialistic.
Ratings and reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Daniel CT
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April 15, 2013
Although there are technical issues with this book (inaccurate page numbers, poor book cover size, etc [Which I urge Google to fix]) the message is still acute. Kasser's main argument is that there is a link between materialism and individual well-being/self-worth. Kasser backs up his claim by providing research cases and makes the claim that materialistic goals of obtaining more money or stuff is psychologically affecting our view of life and relationships. Reading it from page one to the very end, the reader makes a startling claim and that is just by observation, his argument may be true. His material is not difficult to understand nor tedious. Its a simple and short book to read to understand the consumer society. Since this is a short book, there is not much concentration or enough detail for Kasser dive in to. Yet the argument logically follows chapter to chapter. It is a great introductory book to understand the consumer society.
About the author
Tim Kasser is Associate Professor of Psychology at Knox College, Illinois.
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