The Costs of Living

by Barry Schwartz

We all value freedom, family, friends, work, education, health, and leisure-"the best things in life." But the pressure we experience to chase the dollar in order to satisfy both the demands of the bottom line and the demands of our seemingly insatiable desire to consume are eroding these best things in life. Our children now value profit centers, not sports heroes. Our educational system is fast becoming nothing more than a financial investment where students are encouraged to expend more energy on making the grade than on learning about their world. Our business leaders are turning young idealists into cynics when they cut corners and explain that "everybody's doing it." The need to achieve in our careers intrudes so greatly on our personal world that we find ourselves weighing the "costs" of enjoying friendships rather than working. In this book, psychologist Barry Schwartz unravels how market freedom has insidiously expanded its reach into domains where it does not belong. He shows how this trend developed from a misguided application of the American value of individuality and self-pursuit, and how it was aided by our turning away from the basic social institutions that once offered traditional community values. These developments have left us within an overall framework for living where worth is measured entirely by usefulness in the marketplace. The more we allow market considerations to guide our lives, the more we will continue to incur the real costs of living, among them disappointment and loneliness.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

an American psychologist. Schwartz is the Dorwin Cartwright Professor of Social Theory and Social Action at Swarthmore College. He frequently publishes editorials in the New York Times applying his research in psychology to current events.

Reviews

[Jeff]

Schwartz wrote one of my favorite books, The Paradox of Choice, which is why I picked up The Costs of Living. In TPoC, Schwartz explained why having too many choices as consumers can actually have negative consequences on our psyches. In TCoL, which was written in the early 90's, he talks about the same sort of stuff on a more 'macro' level, explaining how unbridled capitalism makes almost everybody--including those who are profiting the most from it--unhappy. Or at least that's what I think he's going do to.

One interesting thing about reading this book within our current economic crisis, is that much of what he has to say about the economics of the US applies now even more than it did then. The early 90s sort of presaged what's happening now, I think, especially around how deregulation can lead to such intense economic downturns.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed the read , probably because i'm in the field of economics/sociology , and this subject is before me wherever i go . Life is becoming tougher , well-being isn't in reach , most people suffer ( even the rich ? ) which means that something is wrong ? system reform is needed , but the real solution start right there ( pre-school education ) .

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second Barry Schwartz book (the first being When More is Less) and like the first, I enjoyed it immensely, could not put it down, was fascinated by the issues he raises and discusses and ultimately a bit depressed by the prospects of how to change out society into some place I would feel comfortable living. If you are into economics and psychology in/of the U.S. culture, I think you would enjoy this book. But do be warned - there aren't any concrete ideas for solutions, only food for thought. Enjoy.