The Joyless Economy: Inquiry into Human Satisfaction and Consumer Dissatisfaction (Galaxy Books) - Softcover

Scitovsky, Tibor

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195021835 ISBN 13: 9780195021837

Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc, 1977

Synopsis

When this classic work was first published in 1976, its central tenet--more is not necessarily better--placed it in direct conflict with mainstream thought in economics. Within a few years, however, this apparently paradoxical claim was gaining wide acceptance. Scitovsky's ground-breaking book was the first to apply theories of behaviorist psychology to questions of consumer behavior and to do so in accessible, non-technical language. Setting out to analyze the failures of our consumerist lifestyle, Scitovsky concluded that people's need for stimulation is so vital that it can lead to violence if not satisfied by novelty--whether in challenging work, art, fashion, gadgets, late-model cars, or scandal. Though much of the book stands as a record of American post-war prosperity and its problems, the revised edition also takes into account recent social and economic changes. A new preface and a foreword by economist Robert Frank cover some of these issues. Two revised chapters discuss the assimilation of counter-cultural ideas throughout American society, especially ideas concerning the quality of life. Scitovsky draws fascinating connections between the new elite of college-educated consumers and the emergence of a growing underclass plagued by drugs and violence, perceptively tracing the reactions of these disparate groups to the problems of leisure and boredom. In the wake of the the so-called "decade of greed" and amidst calls for a "kinder, gentler" society, The Joyless Economy seems more timely than ever.

About this title

About the Author

About the Author Tibor Scitovsky is Emeritus Professor of Economics at Stanford University.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc
• Publication date: 1977
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0195021835
• ISBN 13: 9780195021837
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 328