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A review by tomsan
Affluenza by Oliver James
3.0
Generally it's not a bad read. I think the author's overall call for more authenticity, vivacity and playfulness in the face of endless consumerism is right on the money. In many ways the book feels quite prescient as more and more people seem to be reject material consumerism.
In other ways it's getting a little bit dated now. The political chapter especially has reference to politicians that were undoubtedly big names in their time but really date the book (when was the last time I heard of David Blunkett?). The US-bashing also feels very 2000s to me. I thought it was ironic near the beginning when the author criticises US self help books. Affluenza is clearly a self help book. Speaking of self help, one of the author's political antidotes to Affluenza is to have more direct democracy. Given Brexit I can't imagine such advice will be going down so well at his London dinner parties these days!
I did skim the chapters about parenthood, and perhaps that's where the gold was.
In other ways it's getting a little bit dated now. The political chapter especially has reference to politicians that were undoubtedly big names in their time but really date the book (when was the last time I heard of David Blunkett?). The US-bashing also feels very 2000s to me. I thought it was ironic near the beginning when the author criticises US self help books. Affluenza is clearly a self help book. Speaking of self help, one of the author's political antidotes to Affluenza is to have more direct democracy. Given Brexit I can't imagine such advice will be going down so well at his London dinner parties these days!
I did skim the chapters about parenthood, and perhaps that's where the gold was.