New Book Critiques Consumerism, American values: "Living Much More through Buying Much Less," by Firinn Taisdeal
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) July 30, 2015 -- A new book raises serious questions about the effects of rampant consumerism on not only personal finances but quality of life and worthy values. "Living Much More through Buying Much Less" advocates for a more profound experience of life based on clearly defined, noble values, instead of consumerism.
"We think that we own our possessions, but in many ways our possessions own us. What we buy affects us deeply, and not always in positive ways," comments Firinn Taisdeal, author of Living Much More through Buying Much Less. "Americans buy millions of tons of needless possessions every year, often without even knowing why. Many of these possessions are not only based in pollution in their production, but constitute mental, emotional and social pollution in their use."
The book goes beyond the usual call to simpler living or minimalism, dealing primarily with questions of values. Taisdeal says that "Most Americans, if asked to define their values, either can't think of anything, or only parrot a few empty clichés. Many of us have come to feel that we are no longer a society, but only an economy. For those of us who value society and culture, in the highest sense of the terms, a rejection of mindless consumerism is a necessary start."
The personal toll of consumerism can also be harsh, purely in material terms. Taisdeal points out that "Estimates of the average credit card debt of Americans range from $3,600 to $15,000, depending on how you measure it. That debt can begin a painful cycle of financial decline, but how much of that debt was due to Americans buying things they certainly didn't need, and may have been bad for them? The term 'consumption' used to refer to a potentially fatal disease. It still does."
"Living Much More through Buying Much Less" is available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle formats http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982286813/, and in multiple e-book formats on Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/524859.
A complete media kit including book cover images, PDF of the complete book, and Q & A with the author is available on the web site for the book:
http://livingmuchmore.com/index.php?p=media
About the author:
Firinn Taisdeal is an author and inventor living in the San Francisco bay area. Previously employed at multiple Silicon Valley companies, he now concentrates on fundamental issues of meaning and value, instead of just technology.
Firinn Taisdeal, Firinn Taisdeal, http://taisdeal.com, +1 (925) 478-5216, [email protected]
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