The Culture of Excess: How America Lost Self-Control and Why We Need to Redefine Success

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In the wake of the 2008-2009 economic recession, this revealing work offers a psychological explanation of how we as a nation grapple with self-control and how we can develop a new and healthier generation. As J.R. Slosar shows in this urgent, sometimes startling volume, the nation's fast-and-loose approach to money was in fact a symptom of a more widespread pattern of excessive behavior. In The Culture of Excess: How America Lost Self-Control and Why We Need to Redefine Success, Slosar portrays an America where the drive to succeed and the fear of missing out manifested itself not only in self-entitled corporate fraud, but in everything from sharp rises in obesity and cosmetic medical procedures to equally troubling increases in eating disorders, panic attacks, and outbreaks of uncontrollable rage. The Culture of Excess is the first book to assess the impact of economic and social factors on the nation's psychological well-being. Narcissism, productive narcissism, psychopathy, rigidity and self destruction, perfectionism, the illusion of success, and identity achievement all come into play as Slosar diagnoses the psychological drivers behind this indulgent age, offering his prescription for helping "Generation Me" become "Generation We."

Reviews

"When "The Culture of ExcesS" was first offered to me to review, my first thought was am I the right person for this book It only took me a few minutes and pages to realize that I would be fine for this book because I found the book was so much more than what I had expected. Dr. J. R. Slosar for me, most importantly, wrote this book in a way that made it easy to follow and understand. His goal seemed, in some ways, not far off from what I had been trying to do in a classroom as a teacher for the last few years prior to my retirement, and that was to get those young people to understand that their self-indulgence was very harmful to them as well as society as a whole. . . . "The Culture of ExcesS" is a thought provoking must-read for those who want a better life and society for themselves and their children and want to be part of a 'We' Society at last!" -

Bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com

"Dr. Slosar gives us the perspective of the discipline of psychology, both as applied to individuals and as applied to our culture...Dr. Slosar shows us why addressing our cultural narcissism must be an integral part of achieving health care justice for all." -

Physicians for a National Health Program

"Meticulously researched...written in a marvelously readable, breezy style...I heartily recommend this excellent book, and would recommend it for chapter 5 along, but it's all a really great read!" -

Health Matters

"Recommended." -

Choice

"This book, written by a clinical psychologist offers a different perspective, which makes it stand out in this now-crowded genre of literature. Slosar provides an interesting examination of the psychological and social influences that affect us as a culture, setting up circumstances that made our clamor for money outpace our collective common sense. The prose is thoughtful, but not necessarily sanguine that we might not make the same mistakes again if given a chance." -

Reference & Research Book News

"When "The Culture of Excess" was first offered to me to review, my first thought was am I the right person for this book It only took me a few minutes and pages to realize that I would be fine for this book because I found the book was so much more than what I had expected. Dr. J. R. Slosar for me, most importantly, wrote this book in a way that made it easy to follow and understand. His goal seemed, in some ways, not far off from what I had been trying to do in a classroom as a teacher for the last few years prior to my retirement, and that was to get those young people to understand that their self-indulgence was very harmful to them as well as society as a whole. . . . "The Culture of Excess" is a thought provoking must-read for those who want a better life and society for themselves and their children and want to be part of a 'We' Society at last!" -

Bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com

Author Bio

J.R. Slosar is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Irvine, CA, and an adjunct assistant professor at Chapman University, Orange, CA. Read more here: www.cultureofexcess.com.