Rich Kao

Definition: n.  a painful contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.

This has been one of the most pleasureable and challenging books I've read in a while.  It's just plain convicting because the authors lay bare the consumerism culture of America.  Thankfully they do it in a most humorous way, making the medicine go down a bit easier.   The book is so chalk full of statistics and studies and figures, the reality of "affluenza" is undeniable.  

Using the "influenza"  flu analogy, the book is divided into three parts:  symptoms, causes and treatment.  The chapter titles alone will make you laugh and cringe at the same time.  Here are some sample chapter and section titles under the "symptoms" category:  "Shopping Fever,"  "Needing More Planets,"  "A Penny Saved, Barely,"   "Starter Castles,"   "When Houses Become Landfills,"   "Car Clutter,"   "Time Famine."  You get the idea.  Wait till you read the stats that go with these titles.  Ohhh my gravy.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of this book.  It'll will provide some heat and cleansing for your soul.