About this title: In this volume, 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 ...
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Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: The MIT Press
Date Published: 2002-09-01
ISBN-13:9780262112680ISBN:026211268X
Description: Fair. Text contains a few check marks/brackets in the margin in the first part of the book. Light shelf wear to dust jacket. Spine is sound. read more
Description: New. 026261197X Brand NEW Softcover ~ Tight & Bright ~ MULTIPLE COPIES AVAILABLE ~ all books carefully examined & well packaged. read more
Description: New. 026261197X Brand NEW Softcover ~ Tight & Bright ~ MULTIPLE COPIES AVAILABLE ~ all books carefully examined & well packaged. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Mit Pr
Date Published: 2003-10-01
ISBN-13:9780262611978ISBN:026261197X
Description: NEW. Softcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780262611978. read more
Description: Like new in near fine jacket. 026211268X. Cambridge: Bradford Book, The MIT Press, [2002]. 1st Edition, 3rd printing. xvi+149+[3]pp. Blue cloth with gilt spine lettering. A near fine copy in near fine dust jacket. 14.0 ounces = 399 grams. 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches = 23 x 15.5 x 1.5cm. read more
Edition: Illustrated.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Mit Press
Date Published: 2002
ISBN-13:9780262112680ISBN:026211268X
Description: New in new dust jacket. Brand new hardcover with jacket. No markings. Tracking on every package. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 165 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: orig. cloth
Publisher: MIT Press, Cambridge [MA]
Date Published: 2002
Description: Minor rubbing. VG. 24x15cm, xvi, 149 pp., Includes bibliographical references (p. [129]-141) and index. Contents: MIxed Messges; Personal Well-Being; Psychological Needs; Insecurity; Fragile Self-Worth; Poor Relationships; The Chains of Materialism; Family, Community, and the Earth; Making Change. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Mit Pr
Date Published: 2003
ISBN-13:9780262611978ISBN:026261197X
Description: New. 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 sufficie... read more
Description: Good. 026211268X Good condition. May have some markings & or shelfwear. All pages intact. Used items may not include extras such as infotrac, CD or other web access codes. read more
Description: Good. 026261197X Good condition. May have some markings & or shelfwear. All pages intact. Used items may not include extras such as infotrac, CD or other web access codes. read more
Description: New. 026261197X Absolutely Brand New. No marks and in pristine condition. Used items may not include extras such as infotrac, CD or other web access codes. read more
"So I've been reading this one for about 6 months? Yeah, that seems about right. I'd picked up The High Price of Materialism by Tim Kasser (one of Knox's own :), started reading, and then never got a chance to actually sit down and read again. Crazy terms'll do that to you. I finally got to read in earnest over spring break and managed to find some time to finish up last night.
The points that the book makes are sort of obvious, but it goes into even further detail, supporting each one and elaborating on the effects and ramifications. I was absolutely amazed by the amount of research that clearly went into this book. The variety of subjects and approaches used serves to validate the conclusions made and drive home the immediacy of the problems.
The basic gist is that materialistic goals and motivations (defined by the aspiration for money, status, and things) have a negative impact on the over-all well-bring of a person. People have basic psycological needs, Kasser says, and if they are lacking one, they can often seek to overcompensate in the others, usually reverting to materialistic means.
It's absolutely fascinating how interrelated these factors are. He discusses materialism's affect on one's sense of security, of self-worth, relationships with others, as well as personal feelings of happiness and satisfaction. In all cases, materialistic tendencies caused a decreased quality in these other areas, as they interfere with socialization, choice of occupation (and not just jobs, but leisure activities as well), and the standard by which people judge themselves and each other.
One of the sections that struck me most was just a short passage in a larger section dealing with people's choices of activities and work. He talks about the idea of 'flow' - of doing something purely for the sake of doing it, getting wrapped up in it, "losing yourself if the work." Flow is the ideal, it's psychologically satisfying and rewarding for its own merit.
I found myself thinking critically about my own motivations and aspirations as I read along. I think I'm in a fairly healthy place, according to Kasser, although I do need to be careful to find that necessary balance between 'flow' and what's materially necessary for comfort. I realized that I actually experience 'flow' in a lot of what I do. Often when I'm working on webpages, drafting, hanging or fixing lights, I often fall into that 'flow' state. I'm lucky that I've managed to find my passion in something that I can get paid for.
I don't really have anything else to say, because I don't think I can do the work justice. So, as usual, I'm going to recommend you read it for yourself. The book itself is written in a narrative form, not the dense style you'd expect of psychological research, so it's actually pretty easy to read."
"Eh. While I agree wholeheartedly with the message, the book itself was highly redundant and read like a reseach paper fluffed up in order to meet the minimun number of words/pages."
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