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In Praise of Addiction: Or How We Can Learn to Love Dependency in a Damaged World
384 pages, Hardcover
Published February 3, 2026
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April 25, 2026
I picked this up because I was intrigued by a blurb I read in an email for a local bookstore that had an upcoming event with the author. Roberts is an anthropologist, so 'In Praise' is not like many of the typical books on addiction which examine addiction either from a sort of brain chemistry/physiology point of view, the perspective of somebody in recovery, or some combination of those. Roberts comes at the subject from a perspective rooted in cultural attitudes toward addiction, and the impacts of those attitudes, using a broad definition of addiction. For instance, while there are books on behavioral addictions like gambling or sex addiction, and even Gabor Mate's 'In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts' spends a fair amount of time discussing his 'addiction' to acquiring classical music CDs, Roberts includes alcohol, drugs, her own eating behaviors, and several forms of collecting (plastic ponies, Elmo dolls, shoes, etc.), with much of the discussion centered around "refrescos" or soft drinks.
Following from conversations she has with the people participating in an environmental health survey in Mexico City, Roberts separates these addictions into categories of addictions and vices. In this scheme, vices are problematic and destructive because they represent separation from community, and addictions are excessive attachment to various substances, behaviors, and material objects that are potentially a form of connection with others, or at least don't lead to disconnection from others. Roberts also explores how the definitions of addiction are very culturally bound - for instance, the United States sees drugs and alcohol as obvious forms of addiction, while excessive consumption of sugar is labeled as overeating or poor dietary choices. At the same time, all of those things tend to be viewed as problems with a lack of self control that are potentially shameful, in spite of the culture also making them widely available, important elements of the economy. Other forms of obsessive behavior, such as hours a day spent exercising, working, or collecting material objects are viewed as relatively normal, 'functional' behaviors and not considered addiction by most.
Roberts also discusses her sister's battle with alcohol abuse, and examines how cultural attitudes may have prevented her from being more empathetic toward her sister, and may have caused her to engage in behaviors that exacerbated the suffering her sister was trying to tame by using alcohol.
Sometimes the book felt a bit repetitive, and also like it was casting such a wide net that some pieces seemed like they could have been delved into in more detail or left out altogether. Overall, though, I enjoyed the book, and feel that it is valuable in encouraging people to question their attitudes toward addiction, how they might define it, and where those ideas developed, as well as the political and economic factors that may lead people to choose certain behaviors even when they may seem harmful--like the residents of Mexico City being targeted by a government ad campaign telling them to quit drinking soda and drink more water, while the government allowed the soda manufacturers first dibs on the clean water.
Following from conversations she has with the people participating in an environmental health survey in Mexico City, Roberts separates these addictions into categories of addictions and vices. In this scheme, vices are problematic and destructive because they represent separation from community, and addictions are excessive attachment to various substances, behaviors, and material objects that are potentially a form of connection with others, or at least don't lead to disconnection from others. Roberts also explores how the definitions of addiction are very culturally bound - for instance, the United States sees drugs and alcohol as obvious forms of addiction, while excessive consumption of sugar is labeled as overeating or poor dietary choices. At the same time, all of those things tend to be viewed as problems with a lack of self control that are potentially shameful, in spite of the culture also making them widely available, important elements of the economy. Other forms of obsessive behavior, such as hours a day spent exercising, working, or collecting material objects are viewed as relatively normal, 'functional' behaviors and not considered addiction by most.
Roberts also discusses her sister's battle with alcohol abuse, and examines how cultural attitudes may have prevented her from being more empathetic toward her sister, and may have caused her to engage in behaviors that exacerbated the suffering her sister was trying to tame by using alcohol.
Sometimes the book felt a bit repetitive, and also like it was casting such a wide net that some pieces seemed like they could have been delved into in more detail or left out altogether. Overall, though, I enjoyed the book, and feel that it is valuable in encouraging people to question their attitudes toward addiction, how they might define it, and where those ideas developed, as well as the political and economic factors that may lead people to choose certain behaviors even when they may seem harmful--like the residents of Mexico City being targeted by a government ad campaign telling them to quit drinking soda and drink more water, while the government allowed the soda manufacturers first dibs on the clean water.
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