Benjamin R. Barber
Hardcover | Pages: 320 pages Rating: 3.38 | 773 Users | 123 Reviews
Be Specific About Books In Pursuance Of Consumed - How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults & Swallow Citizens Whole
| Original Title: | Consumed - How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults and Swallow Citizens Whole |
| ISBN: | 0393049612 (ISBN13: 9780393049619) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Rendition During Books Consumed - How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults & Swallow Citizens Whole
"Powerful and disturbing. No one who cares about the future of our public life can afford to ignore this book."—Jackson LearsA powerful sequel to Benjamin R. Barber's best-selling Jihad vs. McWorld, Consumed offers a vivid portrait of an overproducing global economy that targets children as consumers in a market where there are never enough shoppers and where the primary goal is no longer to manufacture goods but needs. To explain how and why this has come about, Barber brings together extensive empirical research with an original theoretical framework for understanding our contemporary predicament. He asserts that in place of the Protestant ethic once associated with capitalism—encouraging self-restraint, preparing for the future, protecting and self-sacrificing for children and community, and other characteristics of adulthood—we are constantly being seduced into an "infantilist" ethic of consumption.
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| Title | : | Consumed - How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults & Swallow Citizens Whole |
| Author | : | Benjamin R. Barber |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 320 pages |
| Published | : | March 19th 2007 by W.W. Norton (first published 2007) |
| Categories | : | Nonfiction. Economics. Sociology. Politics. Psychology. Social Science. Cultural |
Rating Containing Books Consumed - How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults & Swallow Citizens Whole
Ratings: 3.38 From 773 Users | 123 ReviewsCriticism Containing Books Consumed - How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults & Swallow Citizens Whole
I believe this is by far the best insight into American culture and is very informative. Its a long read and can get a bit repetitive at times, but people who read this will have a better insight to what drives the American economy/culture. If you like reading thick books and learning, pick this up.Mr. Barbers remarkable insight and clarity is, quite frankly, staggering. The man has pulled together an enormously broad range of sources and produced an analysis that is ignored at peril. Don't bet against the foresight of a man who was clearly perceiving "Jihad vs. McWorld" a decade before 9/11/Very readable- usually on subject matter of this nature the tone of the author brings out a very irritated inner-me. His calm, thoughtful manner help me to see without the sense of emotional attachment
This ended up being way over my head. Too dense. The premise is that the international economy is pushing companies to make and market their products to "The lowest common denominator". The result is that more people buy them, which is good for business, but bad for society. The dumbing down of movies is a good example of this. According to Barker, people are being told they "need" consumer products from cradle to grave. Because of this they are more interested in their choices at Wal-Mart than
This review originally appeared on my website thefrugalnexus Benjamin Barbers sortie against consumerism is sure to reverberate from the glass tower offices of big box USA to the indolent consumer buying pre-peeled oranges (a real example of infantilization of society).As way of general review, Barbers main avenue of assault is by drive by shooting. Barber has a lengthy list of target and what he does is drive up, unloads his quick assault and then drives off to the next target, in other words,
Dense, but worth the read. One of Mr. Barber's main points is that we want to consume things that are fast, easy, or simple, but some of the best things are slow, hard, and complicated. His book is intellectual, it isn't a fast read, but his ideas are priceless. They make you think of 1) the way a life full of ads and shopping doesn't satisfy all our needs as complete people 2) what you can do to protect yourself and improve the world.
A book such as this is polarizing and any reviews will inevitably be emotionally founded in the economy ideology in which the reviewer subsides in. That being the case, knowing full well my own political and economic bias, the point is very well argued. The complaints of redundancy are founded and the work does not purport to be a literary masterpiece. The scene which he depicts is one in which corporations vie with more traditional institutions over subversive influence on the lives of
In this time of capitalism's unquestioned economic and ideological dominance, Barber's book stands as a passionate plea to think critically about markets and the impediments they place in the way of true freedom. This isn't a simple Frankfurt School remix though. Unlike yesterday's culture critics, Barber presents documented evidence that marketers' reductive treatment of people is a purposeful and intentional part of the business plan. He then takes time to show the negative effects such a
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