Affluenza: When too much is never enough

by Clive Hamilton, Richard Denniss

The Western world is in the grip of a consumerism that is unique in human history. We overwork, we spend huge amounts on things we never use, then we chuck them out. The author of the bestselling Growth Fetish pries into our wardrobes, kitchens and backyards, and shows us what choice really means.

Our houses are bigger than ever, but our families are smaller. Our kids go to the best schools we can afford, but we hardly see them. We've got more money to spend, yet we're further in debt than ever before. What is going on?

The Western world is in the grip of a consumption binge that is unique in human history. We aspire to the lifestyles of the rich and famous at the cost of family, friends and personal fulfilment. Rates of stress, depression and obesity are up as we wrestle with the emptiness and endless disappointments of the consumer life.

Affluenza pulls no punches, claiming our whole society is addicted to overconsumption. It tracks how much Australians overwork, the growing mountains of stuff we throw out, the drugs we take to 'self-medicate' and the real meaning of 'choice'. Fortunately there is a cure. More and more Australians are deciding to ignore the advertisers, reduce their consumer spending and recapture their time for the things that really matter.

'Clive Hamilton and Richard Denniss at the Australia Institute never disappoint they set out on paths others don't go down, then explore without fear or favour and finally draw conclusions about modern Australia, warts and all. It's all accompanied by passion which is why the results cannot be ignored.' - Geraldine Doogue, ABC broadcaster

'Fascinating at the same time a call to arms and a chill-pill, Affluenza challenges not just individuals, but society itself.' - Adam Spencer, comedian, mathematician and radio DJ

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics, Sociology, Politics, Australia, Philosophy, Money

231 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2005

About the author

Clive Hamilton AM FRSA is an Australian public intellectual and Professor of Public Ethics at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics and the Vice-Chancellor's Chair in Public Ethics at Charles Sturt University. He is a member of the Board of the Climate Change Authority of the Australian Government, and is the Founder and former Executive Director of The Australia Institute. He regularly appears in the Australian media and contributes to public policy debates. Hamilton was granted the award of Member of the Order of Australia on 8 June 2009 for "service to public debate and policy development, particularly in the fields of climate change, sustainability and societal trends".


(From Wikipedia.)

Reviews

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is getting a bit old now – 2005 – and so it might be hardly worth reading in some ways. A lot of what makes this interesting isn’t really the facts and figures, I rarely remember figures five minutes after I’ve been shocked by them, but rather the overall patterns described here of our consumption patterns and the damage they are doing.

Like too many books in this genre this one places perhaps a bit too much focus on the individual and holding them responsible for too much. The basic line being pushed here is that Australia is one of the richest countries in the world, where everyone is much better off than at any time in our history, and yet people feel much worse off and are working far too hard at the same time. The reason? We are buying stuff we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like. Always a cute line. We are victims of marketing and marketing makes us victims as it makes us ‘individuals’ – we buy our identities and so buying becomes identity formation. We then have to work harder still so as to be able to afford to keep purchasing. We are dupes and we are duped into an endless rat race, where even the winners are still rats. I agree with much of this. My problem is that they then suggest that downsizing is the solution. If we limit our needs and adjust back down to a simpler life then we will suddenly be much happier and live more communal lives with those we love. The problem is they place virtually no stress at all on how precarious our lives have become - we are not affluent, we are terrified. They would have been wise to read The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures.

There is a strange chapter in this where they talk about how young people ought to stop putting off living their lives, having children, being adults, which they claim is due to them wanting to have all the good things in life in place before they are parents etc. This is a strange thing even for economists to say. According to The Armchair Economist the only law of economics worth remembering is ‘people respond to incentives’. And if that is true, then you might think that if an entire generation of people are doing something strange, that it must mean that we have created a society in which bad incentives are distorting their behaviour. This book really could have done with a good dose of sociology – as is true of most books written by economists. All the same, capitalism can’t continue without constant consumption and we can’t be told too often that this is not healthy for us, our society or our planet. Something has got to give – and the sooner we realise the economy is made by our choices and so should be able to be changed by our choices too, the sooner we can get on with addressing some of the problems that seem destined to kill us all.

I started this because I wanted to read the next book in the series that was published last year – Curing Affluenza – but thought I should see what they say in this first. I’ve started that one already, and it seems a much better book. I think I would recommend even skipping this one and going straight for that.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that it should be compulsory reading for:
a) Every Secondary School student in Australia.
b) People who own $2700 Louis Vuitton yoga mats and buy sleeping bags for their ferrets.
d) People who measure their self-worth and happiness by money.
e) ... OK everybody should read it :)

As I was reading this I felt nauseous at just how wasteful and affluent our country has become at the expense of what truly matters. I never really ever entered the whole "rat race, keeping up with the Joneses" thing myself as I just had no interest in materialism(much to the bemusement and derision of some family members and the odd acquaintance) but recently our little family has been faced with some decisions brought about by the birth of our first child and drop to one income with a mortgage. Instead of entering the rat race to keep up we made a very easy decision to not even go there...so I guess that makes us down-downshifters - the whole slow lifestyle just makes sense to us and we wouldn't have it any other way :)

The closing paragraph describes a dystopian future where people keep blindly accumulating "stuff" until society is one big mess of waste, psychological disorders, fractured relationships and lives without meaning. I echo the hopes of the authors in the last sentence of this paragraph: "We believe the people of Australia will not accept such a future".

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read much in the field of economics, but this was easy to understand and Australian (so I understood the context). I disagreed with some points regarding psychology and medicine, and understand their perspective is more financial rather than scientific. But overall easy to read and I enjoyed reflecting on the content!

[Krystelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oof, does this one face some heavy rendundancies. I understand it may have been quite the apt statement back in 2005, but 15 years on this book have not done it any good. Yes, our credit card debt has spiralled out of control, and yes, we are wont to overwork ourselves to the bone, but the one thing that this book is missing is necessity. These days it is impossible to live virtually anywhere without house prices that have been driven through the roof. It is impossible to not be exploited in most jobs to a point of overwork, and overtime is no longer considered optional but instead a necessity. There’s a derisive eye to cast over the statements made that the younger generation is somehow inherently selfish for considering the cost of having a child, and no heed paid to the fact that that child WILL suffer if not adequately cared for. Those in lower income groups are oddly derided in this book too, as though their desire to have money to pay the rent is somehow an unspeakable sin. I enjoy part of the message, the part about us being less selfish and more mindful about where our life choices are taking us, but with that being said, there should have been basic consideration about the fact that we live in a society that is plagued with late-stage capitalism. Sure, we may not need everything laid out in ads on telly, but shelter is a basic human need. Advocating for ‘downshifting’ is all well and good too, but who can afford to downshift? That’s right- only people with enough money to do so! The very concept is ludicrous, and perhaps it’s because it’s aged and perhaps it’s because I’m from a lower socioeconomic class, but this one rankled with me greatly.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

The one thing I really disliked about this book was that it saw the only way to cope with Affluenza was to downshift. But what about those people who are able to manage things without going between extreems. What about those who spend within their means, don't go into debt, and only ever work a 30-35 hour week in the first place. Why are these people not mentioned? It isn't a one or the other proposition and not everyone needs to be fixed of these problems.

[Ari · Rating 1 out of 5]

i am so happy im done. this probably couldve been summarised into like 10 pages or something. the book didnt make bad points necessarily, i just found it so repetitive and boring, i struggled to get through it. anyway last english book ever woohoo!

[Karly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book very clearly sums up the general malaise in Australia today that I could never quite put my finger on. It forces you to check and take stock of your life and reflect on all the fortune we have. The manifesto gives hope for a future were value is no longer placed on material possessions, but on the quality of our relationships and an appreciation for all that we have. An important read for all Aussies I think.

[Dempsey Fricker · Rating 1 out of 5]

these people would be ashamed with how much i've spent at the canteen

[Tara Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The concepts and ideas explored in this book really resonated with me. At times the sections on politics were a tad technical and heavy for my understanding but I could understand the basic idea and research what I need to learn.

A quote to summarise the book: pg 178 "Since the early 1990's Australia has been infected by affluenza, a growing and unhealthy preoccupation with money and material things. This illness is constantly reinforcing itself at both the individual and the social levels, constraining us to derive our identities and sense of place in the world through our consumption activity.
...through the purchase of goods that promise to transform our actual selves into the ideal selves the market has helped us construct. ... a vast marketing industry that exploits our insecurities and vanities "

I would like to reread this to properly to really absorb the philosophy into my life and role-model it for my family.

[Juraj Mucko]

Mind opener.
Must read.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wonder if the people who need to read this book ever will. If they do I hope they are not so confronted by it that they cannot hear its message.

As a downshifter myself I completely agree with Mr Hamilton. I am disgusted at what humanity has become. We are capable of truly great things but find ourselves striving for everything shiny and flashy and useless at the expense of everything that we truly value but have forgotten. Affluenza, the idea and the fight against it, is worth five stars.

But to the book itself I can only give three. The interesting and ghastly stats are presented well however they are broken up with corny anecdotes without reference. These little lame snippets are probably based on some reality but they have no place here. In particular I roll my eyes at the story of the father taking the boy sailing and writing in his diary 'wasted day'. It breaks my heart and enrages my mind!

In light of the global financial crisis this book is particularly prescient. Hamilton told us we are living beyond our means in 2004. We continued scaling up our credit until bang: in late 2007 our bubble burst and we found ourselves in the most severe financial crisis in 50 years. Hamilton predicted this. Now Western governments are attempting to continue the delusion by promoting consumerism as a remedy to this mess. We are digging our hole deeper and deeper.

This book made me question myself and how I live my life. For this alone I recommend it strongly.

[Rita Pizz · Rating 1 out of 5]

i get what its trying to say but i just dont think i care LOL

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was worth a read.
Although the figures are out of date, the philosophy is the same. Australians spend too much, are in debit and feel unhappy and hard done by despite being more wealthy than ever, in a country more wealthy than many. The answer isn’t to earn more, but to live within ones means. There is also some suggestions for government and a great chapter on downsizing.

[Judith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the message - when do we recognise 'enough'. There are, however, only so many ways to illustrate this concept and this would make a wonderful newspaper editorial more successfully than a book.

[Edgarr Alien Pooh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admit I was disappointed with this. It all made perfect sense but there just wasn't anything startling. It just all seems so obvious and really only the statistics were new to me. The reasons and effects are around us all the time just need to open our eyes

[Ester · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really glad our school forced us to read this, because I believe this book speaks the truth. Many Australians are indeed infected with Affluenza.

[BookRebel (GinaRosexox11)]

Had to read this for school, included some interesting facts about how advertising is corrupting the world, but isn't the type of book I would usually read.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just some insights into how stupidly wasteful and status obsessed with population is.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the book is almost two decades the overall message contained in this book is still relevant not only for Australia but most of western countries and more and more in places like India, China and other 'emerging' economies. If anything, what was true 20 years ago has been sent into overdrive today. I was fortunate to have been able to hear the co-author, Richard Denniss speak twice on panels at this years writer's festival. In the first couple of pages, this prescient statement has come true with a vengeance: "In the coming decade most of our income growth will be spent on consumer products the craving for which has yet to be created by advertisers. Our public concerns might be about health and the environment, but our private spending patterns show that the majority of Australians feel they suffer from a chronic lack of 'stuff'." Compulsive shopping, buying for the sake of buying whether needed or not, now has a name attached to it: 'oniomania', a pathological condition "called the 'smiled upon' addiction because it is socially sanctioned." This also applies to houses. From 1955 to 2000, the average size of a home almost doubled, while the number of people per household shrunk by about 60%. And a more expensive home cannot have basic furniture such as a simple 3 or 4 seat couch, but rather super sized lounge suite that can seat 8 or more. Where it is really noticeable is the outdoor barbecue. "There is something unsettling about a $7000 barbecue. The barbecue traditionally served as the symbol of Australian egalitarianism. It represents the place where Australians couild gather for the simple purpose of cultivating and enjoying their relationships with family members and friends....all that is destroyed when the barbecue becomes an opportunity to outdo the neighbours and other family members." Many more examples like this is given. They point out that Australia is one of the richest countries on Earth and yet there is a high percentage of people who don't feel happy or satisfied, saying in survey after survey that they struggle to pay for their needs, when in reality what is describes as needs are really wants, and that if they just had more money, then they'd be better off. And thus the people suffer from Affluenza, a form of self-deception. This deception is reinforced not only by advertisers, but the mainstream news outlets - where we are obliged to keep spending and buying things for the sake of the economy, for growth is needed or all hell will break loose. Thus the need to purchase a new phone, despite the fact that your 3 year old phone is perfectly adequate. And of course both sides of politics have bought into this mantra. A lot of the figures, especially the prices of things will make one smile or laugh, overall the theme of the book is very relevant today. Overconsumption is not only bad for one's bank balance, it is bad for the environment to the nth degree. The end of the book after the footnotes and index is a political manifesto for wellbeing which is worth the price of the book as it is still relevant today.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although written in 2005, it still strikes at the core of marketing and the lack of responsibility by the major political parties in Australian politics over decades. The authors do well to highlight that social responsibility has shifted from national governance onto individuals and questions whether this is appropriate. It highlights a focus on GDP exceeding the need of the Australian people subtly exposes the capitalistic society we have become.

Certain triggers still hit home today just as much as they were an issue when first published. There is a discussion highlighted between a couple where “if interest rates go up a couple of per cent, we’re stuffed” was a genuine fear back then and is just as relevant in the housing market today. Contentious issues of government policy favouring the wealthiest highlighted back in 2005 are just as pervasive today with the impending stage 3 tax cuts.

The authors highlight the reluctance of couples wanting to have kids because of the “financial burden” associated with having children. Some points are raised about why children shouldn’t be considered a financial burden, but then mentions some iteration of “some parents think.. they deserve tax relief to compensate for their reproductive choice.” It’s worth noting that every generation in some way has struggled with the financial cost of raising children, and is not isolated to the current 18-35 year old cohort.

There is also a discussion around "downshifting". I think the authors stated around 10% of Australians were downshifters, though I would think this number has increased in the years since and especially post covid years when the population really had an opportunity to think about what’s important in their lives; their work or their relationships. But downshifting is not so practical for some people to just drop the amount of hours they work, or to move somewhere more affordable with limited services available.

A thought provoking read, and recommended for anyone with an interest in Australia political discourse, the power of marketing, and further insight into the ever growing desire for consuming more than we really need.

My next read about this topic after this book will be Robert Lustig's Hacking of the American Mind, a recommended text on how corporations have used misinformation to sell a product en-masse in an effort to sell happiness.

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is yet another example of a book that could have simply been a great long-form article. Ironically, the first sentence of the last chapter states “The argument of this book can be summarised quite simply”. It then provides a summary of the book in two pages, thus proving my point. WHY WRITE A WHOLE BOOK THEN?!

I’m not sure who the target audience of this book is but it’s certainly not me. I already knew the information presented within and so learnt nothing new. The book is very dry, overloaded with statistics and suggests too many correlations.

The author falls prey to populist fallacies, the most egregious of which is to suggest a correlation between an increase in ADHD diagnoses and advertising. He is clearly ignorant of the condition, as he raises the subject of ADHD again later in the book. Academics really need to stop talking about subjects outside their fields of expertise, they simply end up embarrassing themselves.

The book is organized into three parts. Here’s the basic outline:

Part 1: marketing and consumer behaviour – this is the only interesting part of the book and would be valuable for anyone that has no knowledge of how marketers manipulates consumers. If you understand consumer psychology then there is nothing new here.

Part 2: the effects of affluenza – people are overworked and in debt due to rampant consumerism. They are also wasteful. The author then proceeds to go off on a tangent about pharmaceutical companies. This last part felt like it was an excuse for the author to pursue a personal vendetta. Awkward.

Part 3: politics – unless you have a strong interest in politics then this part is extremely boring. The author then spends a considerable amount of time sharing stories about privileged upper-middle class while people who have made the decision to “downshift” (stop flaunting their income).

Perhaps this book is for privileged upper-middle class white people? I hope so, that’s a group that deserves more books written specifically for them (sarcasm).

[F. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overconsumption, as Hamilton and Denniss has put it, is like a disease. And the cure is increasingly harder to find. The points raised in Affluenza are all vital and necessary to know. Even though this book was written in the early 2000s, much of these concerns mentioned are still relevant today.

Although strong for the most part, there are three points that let down Hamilton and Denniss's argument and could be better explained and researched. These include:

1. People choosing to not have kids due to being so focussed on wanting more material posessions: It should be noted that many people who are childfree/childless are living in poverty and it is not a selfish, capitalist view to choose to not want them. Believing that one can only get personal fulfilment from having children is a surprisingly outdated view, which is at odds with the other progressive points.

2. The pharmaceutical industry making people buy medications for illnesses they do not have: For the most part this makes sense, but the criticism of ALL medications dangerously dips into anti-vaxxer territory. Each individual is different, and there are people with chronic illnesses who would regard such medications as improving their lives, rather than making them worse.

3. Being a downshifter to escape the rat race: Not everyone can quit their job and have a sea change. Sure, it's healthier, but most people would burn through their savings really fast unless they are already wealthy.

The authors express their points clearly and well, but had they consulted a wider group of people when conducting their research (the childfree, those with chronic illnesses and the lower middle/working class), this book would be even stronger.

Despite these issues, I would still recommend this as an essential read, especially now more than ever.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

About the only disappointing thing about this book was that it was written back in 2004, before social media had hit its stride with all of the associated problems involved with it. Nevertheless, this is a very cutting commentary on Australian society's obsession with money, wealth and 'things' driven by a marketing and advertising juggernaut and encouraged by our political and social system. It pithily explains the damage that comes from escalating 'affluenza' and the treadmill most Australians are trapped on. They are some of the wealthiest people in the entire world, and yet vast numbers of Australians complain they are 'doing it tough' because they don't have the money to buy 'all of the things they want'.

I would love to see Clive Hamilton release a new, updated version of this book with a picture of how things are now in 2021. I suspect the enormous house prices he was discussing will be so much higher they make his numbers look paltry. I suspect consumer debt is even greater than ever. I suspect even larger numbers of very affluent people will be complaining about how hard it is. And I suspect that, thanks to social media, the desperate need to buy more and more stuff to fill the psychological void is even greater than ever. And as a result, the environment is desecrated even more, people's sense of wellbeing is even lower and social division is even greater. I hate to be a pessimist, but this book, due to its publication almost 20 years ago, felt like it only scratched the surface.

[Liam Polkinghorne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since the early 1990s Australia has been infected with affluenza - a growing and unhealthy preoccupation with money and material things. It manifests in overconsumption, and leading us to derive our identities through our consumption activity. The goal is to close the gap between our vision of ourselves, and our actual selves - tying our self-worth to material benchmarks. More money and more things doesn't result in more happiness, and as a result, Australians feel materially deprived, despite being richer than ever before. no matter how much money people have they feel they need more - an ever-present comparison to their neighbours (who we see as having great lifestyles - we should have that too - we deserve it more - although they are more likely than not in a lot of debt). Perceived needs change as income rises. The confusion between wants and needs is at the heart of affluenza. It also lies behind the epidemic of overwork - people feel they must work longer to meet ever-rising aspirations - imposing severe costs on health and generating relationship debts. 4 out of 5 people believe themselves to be careful shoppers, but acknowledge Australian society is characterised by high levels of aimless spending. Conscious consumption, as opposed to no consumption is the antidote to affluenza. Need to constantly battle against growing materialism.

[Lliam Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two things:
4 stars because Mr Hamilton needs to produce an updated version. This book is nearly 15 years old now and refers to many statistics from the late 20th century even. I would be so interested to see how those stats compare now- how far have we come? Have these disturbing trends continued? I think, yes!

Secondly, despite Mr Hamilton clearly defining “what needs to be done” as basically implementing a Marxist political philosophy, there is no reference to the attempts or what has ever driven the attempts at genuinely improving society by prioritising human welfare at any point in history. He is not the first person to suggest we do things differently and he knows this. It’s kind of disappointing because if people like him (celebrated and respected economists) could bring themselves to use the ‘S’ word (socialism), we might actually have a shot at organising the majority to improve our lives and our futures.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting treatise on over-consumption in Australia, but, as it was written in 2005, it is somewhat dated. The simplification of some economic concepts was helpful, as were the data and graphs, but some of the psychological concepts were a bit 'too' simplified. The messaging was fairly heavy-handed and I personally would have preferred if the information was presented as an article instead of a full book. I found the proposed solutions, such as 'down-shifting' and conscious consumption, to be too simplistic and not rooted in social and political reality. Overall it was an interesting and thought provoking read but spoiled overall by oversimplification and padding.

[Budd Margolis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the stats are a bit outdated, the essence of this concept is vital and still very much relevant.
the basic premise still holds and our Governments are far too focused on economic growth, or lack of growth, debt, and other aspects of the economy instead of its citizen's wellness and happiness.

WE are marketed to be unhappy, to buy solutions to make us better and happier and this leads to debt and misery, depression, and overly wasteful and unsustainable consumption.

The book is Australian-centric but is still very relevant, accurate and useful.

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book deals with a very prevalent issue in Western culture and it often hits the nail on the head. However, it does get a bit dry from time to time, and especially towards the end it all starts to feel a bit repetitive, with the same phrases popping up too much to go unnoticed. I also found the section on "downshifters" weak, with too much reliance of anecdotal cliches but people who sound like they would be intolerable to know in real life.

[Shua Wilmot · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors use data to illustrate how wealth and consumerism impact individuals, families, and society. Although a little dated at this point, the information is enough to help refresh a person's mindset, even if only red for a few minutes at a time. The end of the book presents a hopeful path forward.

[Reyse_Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Finally finished the last book i will ever be forced to read for school (wow that's an amazing thought 🥳)
I struggled to get through this
remind me to never read a non-fiction book again-
this could have been summarized in a 3-page news article or something, not a 200 page book :,)