Book Description
A piercing and vital look at how capitalism is consuming U.S. society.
An apt sequel to Benjamin R. Barber's best-selling Jihad vs. McWorld, Consumed offers a wrenching portrait of how adult consumers are infantilized in a global economy that overproduces goods and targets children as consumers in a market where there are never enough shoppers. Driven by a frantic imperative to sell, consumer capitalism specializes today in the manufacture not of goods but of needs.
This provocative culmination of Barber's lifelong study of democracy and capitalism shows how the infantilist ethos deprives society of responsible citizens and displaces public goods with private commodities. Traditional liberal democratic society is colonized by an all-pervasive market imperative. Public space is privatized. Identity is branded. Our world, homogenized. With brilliance and depth, Barber confronts the likely consequences for our children, our liberty, and our citizenship, and shows finally how citizens can resist and transcend the civic schizophrenia with which consumerism has infected them.
Customer Reviews:
Hard read but.......2007-09-24
Benjamin R. Barber's "Consumed" is a hard book to read but a necessary one. Barber tells us how capitalism once met the "needs" of people and that it now just meets what he calls "faux" demand. It's the rise of the protestant ethics and ethos that has made capitalism thrive until today. The rise of infantilization and the dumbing of consumers has given corporations the power to control our so called "wants." Barber doesn't give us a solid solution to this (even he admits it will take a big effort) growing problem but it is a start.
How a book infantilizes adults and swallows citizens whole.......2007-09-03
It seems like there is an endless market for "Marx-lite" books by people who hate America and the West. Here is another example without a new idea in sight. Famous authors, such as Marx, Sombart, and Gaibraith, have previously rebottled this old wine. Like them, Barber hates our movies, our culture, our food, our sports, our consumer products, our free markets, and, of course, the likes of Wall Street, Silicon Valley, Gates, Gilder, Wal-Mart, GM, Google, and on and on. It is depressing just going through all the parts of America he feels are misdirected and even immoral. Is this really a person who loves America?
Where are the positive examples and why this perspective? Because, as the Nobel Prize winning economist Hayek has pointed out, for socialists, "Every activity must derive its justification from conscious social purpose." Thus Barber must tear down all those activities that he feels have either no purpose or the wrong social purpose. This quote by Hayek is a succinct summary of the motivation behind the book. Toward this end, Barber quotes many attention-grabbing sources. For example, on page 51 he asks us to consider, "Karl Marx who presciently explained how `the expansion of production and of needs becomes an ingenious and always calculating subservience to inhuman, depraved, unnatural, and imaginary appetites.'" A question: Does that really describe you or your friends?
Like most socialists, he has no respect for the individual: We are all at the mercy of those terrible companies who want to sucker us into buying things we don't want or need. Hey, but Barber will be happy to decide what we need. He knows the truth -- ask him. But why is he or some other group better qualified to decide what we need?
Barber has no understanding of free markets, the emerging global economy, or even the mom and pop shop on the corner. Like many academics, who have never produced anything but papers and books, he writes with absolute confidence and with noteworthy ignorance, not because he is unintelligent but rather because his starting perspective is wrong.
This is a long tedious book: Barber seems to crank this stuff out by the ton. As he would say, this book is an immoral waste of resources that we as consumers should reject because it has no larger social value. The only thing it has going for it is a mighty ad campaign aimed at corrupting children, infantilizing adults, and swallowing citizens whole. But, then again, each of us will have to decide that.
Right on the mark..........2007-08-16
I see a number of other reviewers belittling the book because of some trivial factual error regarding sports figures or celebrities, but in my eyes those points merely underscores the point that Barber is trying to make. In the end the constant media focus on these types of people is in my eyes a mass distraction. Does it change my life one iota when a drunken celebrity does something stupid? Not at all, but the media covers it for hour on end, and people lap it up.
People defend popular culture such as Harry Potter or Shrek, but these are all pure escapism and have very little relevance to our daily lives. Reviewers of those films make tortured comparisons to try and prove relevance to daily life, but the sad fact is that many people have become conditioned to not expect more, and perhaps not even have the patience to view a more substantive work.
Other reviewers insist that they aren't manipulated and that they have free choice. To an extent that is true, but one can easily argue that many people are making poor choices because they have been so deeply conditioned by advertisers. How can you justify spending 50K$ on a car, and replacing it when it is 3 years old when an inexpensive well-made car will fulfill the basic needs of transportation and may last 5-8 years instead? How can you justify spending money on bottled water when tap water in most areas is just fine? And how can you justify accumulating tens of thousands in consumer debt just to acquire all of this stuff? There are countless such examples all over the place.
And finally, there is the paradigm that runs deeply through our society that having more money and having more material goods will somehow make you happier. The problem is that these desires can never be satisfied - there is always something more, and there is always someone else who has more. In the end all of this materialism leaves people feeling empty, and the only tonic that they know to try and fill the void is to go out and shop some more.
On the other hand, if you can reach a point where you are content with what you have, you may find that many of the things that you do have are completely superfluous and can be donated to Goodwill or sold. Get rid of enough stuff, and that McMansion will seem empty, and a more modest and affordable house may meet your needs quite nicely.
Best Book I've Read in 5 Years.......2007-07-11
This is the best book I've read in 5 years. And I usually read 30 or so a year. It is the most challenging thing I've ever read. Throughout almost every sitting with the book, I would have to walk away and just sit to let it soak in. It was extremely cutting and exposing to me. And I dare say convicting. It's helped me to realize what a hyper-consumer I am and how childish I am in my tastes and entertainment. Even how childish I am in my spending. I never thought there would be a day when I felt like I needed to grow up and be a man, but this book helped me to entertain the possibility. The basic idea of the book focuses on the infantilization (dumbing down) of our society via the means of marketing and advertising. And the hyper-consumerism capitalism that we live with today. I couldn't recommend this book more highly. But I will give one disclaimer. It's 300+ pages of really small type. What makes it worse is that the author writes it like an academic paper. For example the first chapter which is only 35 pages long has 98 footnotes. It's just a really difficult read where reading 20 pages takes you an hour. So you'll either love the book or hate it. If you're a nerd, you might dig it. If you're not a nerd, you won't.
Try something else........2007-06-19
I confess, I didn't read the whole book. A friend gave it to me, and I parked it on the shelf after reading half and skimming the rest. Jeez-Louise! I'd hate to spend a week on an expedition cruise with this guy! He'd be the first one trying to feed the animals and then monopolizing the talk at dinner till everyone wanted to jump overboard. I didn't realize corporate America had captured everyone's free-will. The evil Bill Gates and Steve Jobs must be supressed along with Rupert Murdoch and the Walton family! I suggest reading Alexis-Charles-Henri Clérel de Tocqueville. He still rings true today. You'll sleep better at night. You want an entertaining picture of rampant consumption in America today, seen through the lens of 1840's when the all-corrupting market swallowed the entire continent of North America...and yes, is still swallowing it...There's a lot to eat out there, bunky! Read Heyday by Kurt Andersen. We may not be perfect but there must be some attraction if 12 million people will risk life and limb to get here one way or another. Mr. Barber and his book would probably be better fare in Venezuala or Cuba.
Book Description
This award-winning book explores one of the most successful cultures and society the world has ever seen-capitalism. From its European roots more than 500 years ago to the present, the book examines the problems of capitalism's expansion, inequality, environmental destruction, and social unrest. Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism provides the reader with the anthropological, economic, and historical framework to understand the origins of global problems, why globalization and the global expansion of the culture of capitalism has generated protest and resistance, and the steps that are necessary to solve global problems. As one reviewer said, "This is a book that will doubtless create debate and controversy, but its topic should be pondered seriously by all who consider themselves citizens of our world society today." For anyone interested in global issues and international affairs.
Customer Reviews:
Why we need to change the world.......2007-06-01
This is an excellent book even if it is outrageously over-priced.
To be sure it is polemical and passionate, neither of which are necessarily bad things and certainly not in this case. Professor Robbins argues clearly and cogently for viewing capitalism as another culture and not as an inevitable evolutionary outcome of economic history.
Perhaps the book over-emphasises the dangers and difficulties of capitalism but it is not inaccurate in describing them. Here is a history of capitalism laid out in well-written prose and it is not a pretty history. We have much to answer for and much to do to put things right.
Highly recommended.
way overpriced but worth reading.......2006-12-08
I've given this three stars simply because it would have to be astounding good to be worth $77, and it's not. It is very good however, and if the price was more like $20 of less, which would be reasonable for an oversized paperback, I would have given it 5 stars. Evidently, because it's a textbook the publisher can get away with this. However, I happened to find a used copy at a college bookstore, and felt I should get it because I have been wanting to better understand globalism, CAFTA, NAFTA, the WTO and the protests against it, the World Bank and how it both helps and interferes, the jobs that are being outsourced to Asia (btw, last time I spoke to Amazon customer service, it was with someone in India!), the seemingly endless reach and power of certain multi-national corporations, etc., and I thought this book would fit the bill. I haven't finished it yet, but it certainly does, and I've been learning a lot from reading it. Thought it definitely has a point of view, I feel it's a more balanced introductory book than the many highly opinionated books written by particular economists and think-tankers who are inevitably trying to persuade rather than educate.
Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism (according to Marx).......2005-12-23
This text was required reading for a political science class dealing with developing nations. The only major problem I have from this book being in a political science class is that the content is overwhelmingly normative--the reader is given the impression that capitalism and capitalists are unanimously responsible for nearly everything terrible that has happened, including war, disease, famine, etc. The author spends a great deal of time talking about the resurgence of mostly benign protestant fundamentalism, while devoting only a few pages to discussing Islamic fundamentalism (it's really the West's fault, for spending a few million to support the mujahadeen). While there is a case to be made that market failures do lead to starvation, no mention is given to famines by progressives like Josef Stalin or Mengitsu (they aren't even listed in the glossary).
The book is written through the prism of Marxism and dependency theory by bourgeoisiephobe Richard Robbins, someone who should owe some gratitute to capitalism for getting this piece published.
On pages 42-43, one can see good examples of his economic illiteracy: the production function is "the black box" and he ignores conventional economic terms by designating "C" (which denotes consumption in economics) for commodities. Perhaps none of this is relevant, since he is a political scientist who seems to be making up his own economic models.
This book does give good insight into the structuralist perspective on international political economy. The solutions presented towards the end are, however, unrealistic (zero-economic growth, a "maximum wage," on income, revoking corporate personhood, etc.) Use this book to complement your studies on IPE/sociology/whatever suits your fancy and incorporate texts from the liberal and mercantilist schools if you want a real understanding of how the world workds.
WOW!!!.......2004-09-29
It's such a great book and it gives you detailed insights. I learned so much, I never knew how serious global issues were until now.
Excellent book for anyone who cares about the world today!.......2001-08-24
I admit I'm a little biased. Richard Robbins was actually a professor of mine at SUNY Plattsburgh, and I had the opportunity to read this book while at the same time taking his global issues class. This book not only changed my mind about a few of the world's issues, it also gave me a broader perspective about the world in general. I now think about things such as 'where do my clothes come from?' and 'how did my fruit cup get here?'. Robbins is an extremely talented man and writer who asks the question, 'Is Disneyland for Everyone?' The answer: a resounding 'No, and here's why!' This book would benefit anyone seeking to gain an understanding about the world and his/her place in it. It truly is a global world, and Robbins' book is the first step to living in it.
Amazon.com
If getting and spending define our lives, then Juliet Schor now has us covered. Six years ago, her book The Overworked American scrutinized the getting part. It focused public attention on the disappearance of leisure and the harmful effects thereof on families and society. It sparked a debate over whether Americans really work as much as we proudly claim. (If so, how to explain the audience for Monday Night Football?) Nevertheless, Schor can take credit for helping push Congress into passing the Family Leave Act in 1993.
Now she is back with a critique of our spending. Schor notes that, despite rising wealth and incomes, Americans do not feel any better off. In fact, we tell pollsters we do not have enough money to buy everything we need. And we are almost as likely to say so if we make $85,000 a year as we are if we make $35,000. Schor believes that "keeping up with the Joneses" is no longer enough for today's media-savvy office workers. We set our sights on the lifestyles of those higher up the organizational chart. We seek to emulate characters on TV. For teenagers, "enough" is the idle splendor that hardly exists outside of what MTV un-ironically calls The Real World. Schor offers an original and provocative analysis of why many Americans feel driven and unhappy despite our success. As an alternative, she profiles several "downshifters" who've taken up voluntary simplicity in search of a more satisfying way of life. No policy solutions suggest themselves this time, only a change of heart. --Barry Mitzman
Book Description
The Overspent American explores why so many of us feel materially dissatisfied, why we work staggeringly long hours and yet walk around with ever-present mental "wish lists" of things to buy or get, and why Americans save less than virtually anyone in the world. Unlike many experts, Harvard economist Juliet B. Schor does not blame consumers' lack of self-discipline. Nor does she blame advertisers. Instead she analyzes the crisis of the American consumer in a culture where spending has become the ultimate social art.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent analysis of contemporary American.......2007-08-16
The title says it all, doesn't it. We want, want, want, and spend, spend, spend. When I worked in corrections, I often said to the inmates (who lusted after fancy cars, expensive sneakers, and gold jewelry): "We want things we don't need and can't afford, and it gets us into big trouble." This book explains why we are captivated by the spirit of more is more is more.
Interesting book, with a few flaws........2007-05-15
This is a very well researched book and has many interesting ideas on how to spend less and worry less about things we don't really "need" but really "want." My only concerns were in the section about "downshifters" - people who work less and make less, but are happier. The book notes that most people who "downshift" were only making $30,000 a year or so to start with - not a lot of room to maneuver downward. I was interested more in those who made much more but kept spending more, which she also alludes to. Still, a very interesting book, with some intriguing ideas about how to control expenditures.
Good book . . . but it left me hungry.......2006-12-17
I thought this was a very good book, but I guess I was expecting more from the author. Having just read Fast Food Nation and then getting this book right after, the layout and format was similar but what Eric Schlosser did, fell very short in Juliet B. Schor's book.
I wanted so much more but as each chapter came to an end, I felt very let down. I wanted to point my finger at the big corporations and say "see what you did" but I found myself finding fault more with the author than the corporations. I really wanted to read a well researched book on this topic so now I find myself reading the books she cited.
They were a few good parts of the book where the author made reference to the sitcom Friends and how we as americans making $40,000 to $ 60,000 a year are trying to keep up with the Jonese making 1 million per episode. Also that the Jonese are no longer our next door neighbors but with the expanse of the internet and TV our Jones are actors, singers and record producers. I found this to be so true and wanted more, but time and time again her argument ended right there.
It was here that the author's solution would then be picked up, and what is her solution you may ask? (scratching your head) communal living. I found this advantageous because I acutally expected the author to skirt the issue. Juliet B. Schor's example, why have every house buy a lawn mower when one house can and the neighborhood could share it. I found so many arguments to refute this (I live in New York, was one) that I felt the book did not give the topic the right amount of justice. So I'm still searching . . .
The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don't Need.......2006-11-15
Outstanding, the book is very well written and documented. Juliet B. Schor gives very cogent anecdotes in the book concerning consumerism. As a matter of fact, being in the process of "upgrading" the appliances in the house for no apparent reason, the book totally redirected my excesses.
A must read for every hedonist, capitalistic American.
Explores the psychology of spending.......2006-07-03
To change behavior, it helps to understand behavior. This book does a great job exploring the psychology behind why people spend so much money.
Some of the topics it covers include
-the strange need to keep up with "the Joneses"
-how some material goods force you to spend more to maintain and upkeep them (i.e., auto, large house)
-how kids are influenced by peers and advertisements at an early age and subsequently pressure parents to buy stuff
-how certain professions lead you to spend more on clothes and cars in order to succeed in that profession
-the correlation between increased television watching and increased spending
-the willingness of people to spend significantly more for certain brand name items (purses, lipsticks, shoes) that provide no more quality than generic items
The book also gives solid advice about how to break the overspending habit and provides interesting examples of people who have "downshifted" their lives.
Once you understand the etiologies of your thoughts and desires, you are better able to control and redirect them. For anyone who wants to decrease or have more control over their spending behavior, this is a great book for them. Even if you consider yourself frugal already, this is still a very interesting book.
It is very concise at 170 pages (the rest is references) so it doesn't get boring or repetitive. I think it is more effective than the similar book Affluenza.
Amazon.com
In their eye-opening, soul-prodding look at the excess of American society, the authors of Affluenza include two quotations that encapsulate much of the book: T.S. Eliot's line "We are the hollow men / We are the stuffed men," which opens one of this book's chapters, and a quote from a newspaper article that notes "We are a nation that shouts at a microwave oven to hurry up." If these observations make you grimace at your own ruthless consumption or sigh at the hurried pace of your life, you may already be ill. Read on.
The definition of affluenza, according to de Graaf, Wann, and Naylor, is something akin to "a painful, contagious, socially-transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more." It's a powerful virus running rampant in our society, infecting our souls, affecting our wallets and financial well-being, and threatening to destroy not only the environment but also our families and communities. Having begun life as two PBS programs coproduced by de Graaf, this book takes a hard look at the symptoms of affluenza, the history of its development into an epidemic, and the options for treatment. In examining this pervasive disease in an age when "the urge to splurge continues to surge," the first section is the book's most provocative. According to figures the authors quote and expound upon, Americans each spend more than $21,000 per year on consumer goods, our average rate of saving has fallen from about 10 percent of our income in 1980 to zero in 2000, our credit card indebtedness tripled in the 1990s, more people are filing for bankruptcy each year than graduate from college, and we spend more for trash bags than 90 of the world's 210 countries spend for everything. "To live, we buy," explain the authors--everything from food and good sex to religion and recreation--all the while squelching our intrinsic curiosity, self-motivation, and creativity. They offer historical, political, and socioeconomic reasons that affluenza has taken such strong root in our society, and in the final section, offer practical ideas for change. These use the intriguing stories of those who have already opted for simpler living and who are creatively combating the disease, from making simple habit alterations to taking more in-depth environmental considerations, and from living lightly to managing wealth responsibly.
Many books make you think the author has crammed everything he or she knows into it. The feeling you get reading Affluenza is quite different; the authors appear well-read, well-rounded, and intelligent, knowledgeable beyond the content of their book but smart enough to realize that we need a short, sharp jolt to recognize our current ailment. It's a well-worn cliché that money can't buy happiness, but this book will strike a chord with anyone who realizes that more time is more valuable than toys, and that our relentless quest for the latest stuff is breeding sick individuals and sick societies. Affluenza is, in fact, a clarion call for those interested in being part of the solution. --S. Ketchum
Book Description
Based on two highly acclaimed PBS documentaries watched by 10 million viewers, "Affluenza uses the whimsical metaphor of a disease to tackle a very serious subject: the damage done -- to our health, our families, our communities, and our environment -- by the obsessive quest for material gain. In cleverly titled chapters like "Swollen Expectations" and "A Rash of Bankruptcies," the authors examine the origins, evolution, and symptoms of the affluenza epidemic. Yet they also explore cures and suggest strategies for rebuilding families and communities and for restoring and respecting the earth.
Demonstrating that now, more than ever, Americans need ways of fighting the affliction, this edition includes a new introduction and updated figures, adds information on the impacts of stress and overwork, and provides an in-depth look at various campaigns and movements offering solutions for today's problems. Engaging, fast-paced, and accessible, it reexamines a serious, far-reaching issue for a wide audience.
Customer Reviews:
Book a of TV show - and it shows.......2007-10-01
I believe strongly in the message that this book is trying to get accross; that our current way of living in the Western world is unsustainable in the long term and it doesn't make us happy anyway. However, much like a TV show this book lacks depth and detail in it's arguments and tries to cover too much ground with too few words. AS the book progresses it feels less like new information and more like a cut and paste job from a whole range of sources, held together with some interesting graphics. On the upside, the book is set out well and it follows a logical order, building on firstly the problems and causes of Affluenza and then suggesting solutions, none of which would mean the end of life as we know it. The world, and more importantly your life, can be better and happier - just stop working so hard and consume less. Thats the general theme of the book.
As a better read, may I suggest 'Affluenza' by Clive Hamilton, which covers a lot of the same ground, but does so with a more cogent argument, albeit with an Australian slant.
Alternatively, watch the TV show.
Misses the mark but an important topic regardless..(2.5 stars).......2007-06-05
Affluenza has its heart in the right place but unfortunately fails in the execution, which is a shame since the message of the book is dead on. Western society has a serious problem with mass consumption brought on by media, politics and societal institutions. Studies have shown that people who simplify their lives and consume less, are actually happier in the long run.
The bulk of Affluenza sums up the issues from various different angles. It delves into the history of consumerism and how interest groups have their hold on the current system. As the book progresses it hints as various solutions to the problems which are pretty much of the buy less, drive less and eat less meat variety.
My problem with Affluenza is twofold. The book is poorly written and I'm referring mostly to the pacing. It will bring up a topic and quickly start describing a fictional family in some hokey situation to try to bring the point home. This gets old before it even begins and just doesn't work. The authors focus too long on most points and the I quickly started scanning through complete chapters that really offered little insight that logical people haven't already concluded.
This brings me to my next point....who is this book meant for? It's very preaching when it should be engaging. The people I know who would be interested in this book would find it too pedestrian because of their high knowledge content of the topic already. The people who should read this probably wouldn't be able to get through a third of it. This brings up the more important question of how to reach the general public on important issues that require people to sacrifice.
Bottom Line: Credits to the authors for the purpose, research and effort, but there is a very selective few I would give this book to.
I wanted it to be better..........2007-05-28
I love the concept of this book, and think it sheds light on a very important epidemic in our society. However, I have to agree with other reviewers that while the idea of Affluenza might have been revolutionary when the show was first aired, in 2007 the book just tells you a lot of stuff that - if you're tuned into the world - you probably already know.
Despite the fact that there isn't anything really groundbreaking in this book, I think it provides a lot of insights into a serious American problem (that we're exporting all over the world), and is a nice, easy read.
American Dream or Global Nightmare.......2007-02-03
"Affluenza" takes on the idea of materialism and survival, although by the time I had reached page fifteen, I wasn't sure it was having the desired effect. A visit to the Mall of America still sounded pretty good although traveling that far to shop seems less appealing in the days of "order it online" instant gratification. In the world of clutter clogged houses, shopping is often used as therapy which in the end can make us feel worse with looming credit card debts.
What does no recess for second graders, depression, bankruptcy and perhaps even suicide have in common? The authors present every possible societal problem for consideration. Is Affluenza the symptom or the problem? The authors would like us to believe that materialism is the disease and spending less money is the cure.
My thought on the matter (after taking the quiz and only having a score of 17 - I'm not yet afflicted even with a serious LUSH beauty product addiction looming :), is...this...Affluenza is a symptom of a society that has forgotten its soul. The book does briefly discuss gaining the world and losing your soul, but I've always thought this to be more of an eternal principle.
Will this book raise your blood pressure? It might in places where you read about the real reason whales seem to be washing up on beaches, why butterflies are dying from genetic engineering and how it could one day become possible to advertise on the moon (please no).
While the book presents problems for society to solve in very creative ways, they leave most of the solutions to the reader. However, if you think about it that is really where the responsibility rests in the end. Most of us realize money doesn't make you as happy as being in love or even as happy as having a life purpose you really believe in. In the end, I don't think having money to spend is the problem, buying gifts for friends and family, is not the problem.
If the way you live your life makes you and others around you unhappy, that might be a problem to consider. Then, on a more global scale, you can consider how your choices affect the world. If you really want
to change the world, I think sponsoring children all over the world is one step in the right direction. The way you spend your money could actually make you happy, I've found this to be true.
"Affluenza" is printed on recycled paper.
~The Rebecca Review
History, facts and insights are pointed and revealing messages addressing the modern condition........2007-01-07
The second edition of AFFLUENZA: THE ALL-CONSUMING EPIDEMIC will reach new audiences who might have missed one of the best nonfiction title nominees of 2001, providing updated details and healthy alternatives to the consumer oriented 'epidemic' of modern times. From shopaholics and bankruptcies to those seeking meaning in material goods, AFFLUENZA details the process of recovery from physical and cultural clutter, and offers both personal and political remedies for the problem. History, facts and insights are pointed and revealing messages addressing the modern condition.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Book Description
This book offers an in-depth and up-to-date review of different statistical tools that can be used to analyze and forecast the dynamics of two crucial for every energy company processesâelectricity prices and loads. It provides coverage of seasonal decomposition, mean reversion, heavy-tailed distributions, exponential smoothing, spike preprocessing, autoregressive time series including models with exogenous variables and heteroskedastic (GARCH) components, regime-switching models, interval forecasts, jump-diffusion models, derivatives pricing and the market price of risk.
Modeling and Forecasting Electricity Loads and Prices is packaged with a CD containing both the data and detailed examples of implementation of different techniques in Matlab, with additional examples in SAS. A reader can retrace all the intermediate steps of a practical implementation of a model and test his understanding of the method and correctness of the computer code using the same input data.
The book will be of particular interest to the quants employed by the utilities, independent power generators and marketers, energy trading desks of the hedge funds and financial institutions, and the executives attending courses designed to help them to brush up on their technical skills. The text will be also of use to graduate students in electrical engineering, econometrics and finance wanting to get a grip on advanced statistical tools applied in this hot area. In fact, there are sixteen Case Studies in the book making it a self-contained tutorial to electricity load and price modeling and forecasting.
Book Description
In 2006, world oil consumption will exceed one thousand barrels per second. The news marks an important change that will have a far-reaching impact on world economies, investments, and business profitability.
In A Thousand Barrels a Second, Chief Energy Economist of ARC Financial Peter Tertzakian examines the future of oil and offers insights into what it will take to rebalance our energy needs and seize new opportunities. He answers the top questions asked by business leaders, policy makers, investors, and concerned citizens as we approach the coming break point:
- Are today's high oil and gas prices part of a routine business cycle, or are there more profound forces at play?
- Are hybrid vehicles our only solution against high gasoline prices?
- Is China's growing thirst for energy sustainable?
- Which government policies work and which do not?
- Will nuclear power and coal save the day-again?
Tertzakian also offers a realistic, informed look into the future of our energy supply chains and how our consumption patterns may evolve, revealing how governments, businesses, and even individuals can meet the coming challenges with better solutions and innovations.
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2007-09-06
I read this book hoping to gain additional knowledge on the commodity called oil and to understand for myself what the supply & demand issues for oil really are.
I got this and a lot more in reading this excellent book. The author really breaks down the topic into easy to understand terms and starts at the beginning with the historic value of oil and works through to current times and the future.
Highlights of this book for me were, the explanation of the history of oil starting back in the 1800's with whale oil and progressing through to kerosene and coal. The parts about Winston Churchill were really fascinating. Also, the examination and discussion of how innovation was key in the transition from the different types of energy - from whale oil, to kerosene, to uranium, to oil and beyond; each times science innovation was key.
I found the charts used very easy to understand and they added a lot to the discussion in the book.
Overall, this is an outstanding book. Very well researched and a great oil and history education.
Energy Masterpiece.......2007-08-04
Peter Tertzakian provides a wake up call to America and the world on the challenges we face with our dependency on energy. While not being an alarmist, he lays out a sobering message that we need to start doing things NOW to prepare for and delay the inevitible "break point" where our supply lines of oil will be severly challenged. He points out that America is in a lot of ways disadvantaged (compared to other nations) by our internal political and societal way we live. The book is wonderfully written, extremely well researched and full of interesting historical facts and figures. I am looking forward to his next book on
very good history, interesting current analysis.......2007-05-20
"A Thousand Barrels a Second," by Peter Tertzakian, starts with a fascinating historical discussion of the rise and fall of whale oil as a fuel for lighting. At first you might wonder about the relevance of whale oil in an analysis of modern energy use, but as you read along, you understand the parallels between the finite resource of whale blubber and the finite resource of "light sweet crude" upon which we depend so much today.
Tertzakian goes on the review the principle of growth, pressure buildup, and then a "break point" as an energy source becomes disadvantaged.
I especially appreciated the concept of the "oil dependency factor" of a given economy. The "oil dependency factor" can be considered as the measure of how much new oil is required to fuel economic growth. Countries like Japan, Britain, and France have taken very conscious efforts to mitigate their oil dependency, and thus have very low oil dependency factors. Countries in the early stages of industrialization, like China and India, exhibit high "oil dependency factors." This concept becomes very useful as you consider diversifying the energy mix in an economy while still allowing economic growth.
Tertzakian continues to make very interesting points as he goes on to discuss the very low probability of our being saved from our horrific energy policy by waiting for a technological "magic bullet."
The author does give some very practical advice for postponing the collapse. He mentions three actions we can do right now do decrease our use of fossil fuels. These require no new technology and could made a big difference in giving society some "breathing room" while we ponder the next steps. These very practical suggestions are:
- lower national speed limits
- raising fuel taxes
- progressive tax of vehicles based on fuel inefficiency
Tertzakian starts to ramble and dream a bit at the end, but on the whole, I found this to be a very readable and informative book with a novel view of the our current energy quagmire.
Energy History.......2007-04-29
Mr. Tertzakian ended up doing a great book. I was afraid that been a investment analist the book could be fullfilled with "do it yourself" advices on transforming the energy-to-be-crisis into profit. Far away. The book is a very interesting analisis of the energy paterns during the last centuries and the probable outcomes in the near future. The first chapters with the evolution of the need for fuels (whale-coal-kerosene-coal gas-oil-??) are strong and very well writen. I guess it is a book that must be read.
Good at the start, esp for newbies, but too sanguine about the future at the end.......2007-03-18
Now, I'm not James Kunstler, predicting we will all be living in caves in 50 years. But, after disavowing magic bullets throughout much of the book, Tertzakian seems more than realistically hopeful, in my opinion, in the last chapter. Read Klare or somebody else for a more sober, and sobering account.
That said, this is a good introductory book to Peak Oil and related issues, especially if you're new to all of this. But, especially if you AREN'T new to the subject, you can do better.
Book Description
Robert A. Manning debunks key myths about the oil industry: that the world is running out of oil, that the Caspian Basin is the new Persian Gulf, that resource scarcity combined with military modernization, economic buoyancy, and nationalism will lead to military conflict, and that territorial disputes among Asian nations are fueled by resource competition. His book assesses the energy challenges and strategies of Asian nations and explores the new geopolitics emerging out of their efforts to meet these challenges.
Customer Reviews:
How to think about energy in Asia.......2006-01-29
It is China's burgeoning energy demand which has nurtured an increased interest into the energy reality in Asia; and yet we still lack the conceptual lens through which to analyze the way that energy markets, and by extension geopolitics, are affected by the profound asymmetry between the demand for energy and the supply of resources in Asia (and East Asia in particular). It is this gap that Robert Manning bridges with the "Asian Energy Factor."
Mr. Manning's angle is captured in these words: "Whether they [Asia-Pacific nations] gravitate--as some have already begun to do--towards market-based solutions and realize the myriad commercial possibilities of foreign investment, regional integration and privatization, and deregulation or older dirigiste models may be the difference between increased conflict or increased cooperation in Asia." Alone, this sentence offers a useful conceptual take on the energy challenge which confronts us: how to push the world to geoeconomics rather than geopolitics in the scramble for energy. Exposing this broad dilemma is the book's prime contribution.
Mr. Manning is also useful in showing how one should approach the analysis of energy questions. Although some of his information is dated (the book came out in 2000), he demonstrates that energy is intricately linked to politics, economics, and geography; any analysis which fails to take so inclusive a view is bound to fail. (His section on Central Asia, in particular, is very good at this integrationist approach.) Mr. Manning's argument that Asia's energy situation can produce sufficient interdependence for cooperation is also very interesting.
To be honest, I diverge with Robert Manning on two counts: he confuses a country's domestic energy realities with its foreign policy. It is possible for a country to combine a commitment to markets with an aggressive foreign policy (there are various times when America and Britain would fit this profile). By referring to many countries' market friendliness he logically concludes that the prospects for conflict are diminished; but in assuming an identity between foreign and domestic policy, I believe that he errs.
(In a later article he exposes the dilemma in these terms: "It is unclear how Asian policy-makers will view the global politics of Asian energy markets. Will they view it through the lens of traditional geopolitics of real estate and sea-lane security? Or will they view it through the lens of geo-economics, where international investment, joint ventures and global cooperation rather than competition for resources and conflict is the prevalent means to satisfy energy security requirements?" But he resorts, again, to looking at domestic politics.)
My other disagreement is with Mr. Manning's unwillingness to explore the ways in which energy can lead to conflict; although I agree with his assessment that energy is often a mere manifestation of underlying geopolitical rivalry, it is still important to uncover the mechanics which can link energy to conflict. By choosing not to explore this idea in detail, I believe that is evades a very important subject.
These disagreements aside, the "Asian Energy Factor" is one of the most important contributions on the subject; by debunking some of the most important fallacies, Mr. Manning allows for the debate to focus on the significant topics. This is even more useful today than it was when the book was first published.
Paucities and Scarcities.......2001-05-23
An excellent work from one of our most important scholars on Asia. Riddled with numbers and graphs, the book is still readable for those just encountering energy politics. The referencing is also excellent, and allows one to delve further into the topic.
His initial chapters on environment/pollution and population growth/demand, and scarcity are important by themselves. Understanding the differences between a scarcity of resources and political limitations or economic bottlenecks on those resources is essential to being able to really forecast the strategic environment. Consequently, the time Manning spends belittling Paul Ehrlich and the Club of Rome is well spent. The country analyses are also very useful, and give one a sense not only of the economics of energy, but of the two way impact of energy and political relationships between countries. With our noble leaders beginning to evoke various fears about Asia, this is very important in understanding the nature and degree of "emerging threats."
Manning might be too bold in divorcing extending military interests with growing energy demands, but it is worth reading the book to develop an opinion on the subject.
I also recommend checking out the Energy Information Administrations's website, which Manning used heavily. It was of great use to me in a recent project: www.eia.doe.gov
Also useful is the cover piece of the January 2001 'Atlantic Monthly.' The piece, "The New Old Economy: Oil, Computers, and the Reinvention of the Earth," in helping advance perspectives of the oil industry. See: http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2001/01/rauch.htm
Energy Interdependence as an Integrative Force.......2001-03-12
Robert Manning covers a lot of ground in this book, from the Caspian, to India, to Northeast Asia, and challenges a lot of established notions, but two of the points he makes really stand out:
First, he argues that energy interdependence is a potential positive force for Asian regional stability. While a number of analysts (from the serious scholar Kent Calder to the more shrill "Blue Team" types) have argued that China's entry onto the stage as a major oil importer will have serious negative consequences for regional stability, Manning argues that this is far from clear, and that it may actually have positive consequences. Other energy development issues looming in the future, such as the need for natural gas integration in Northeast Asia, can only be addressed by cooperation among regional governments and some degree of mutual interdependence.
Second, Manning points out in his preface how little contact and exchange there is between American analysts who focus on political and security issues, on the one hand, and those who focus on energy from an economic perspective. (As an example, he points out the differing views of the South China Sea between energy specialists and security policy analysts.) Energy issues involve tie-ins with a broad range of national security, economic, and environmental issues, and Manning argues that the policy community could benefit from more dialogue between these two separate sets of analysts. (I've long known this - since my own academic and professional background sort of straddles both groups.)
While the book does suffer a bit from poor editing in some spots, it is definitely a must-read for anyone interested in Asian security issues and/or the region's rapidly growing energy sector.
Intriguing Analysis of an Emerging Geopolitical Concern.......2001-03-01
Without a doubt, energy will be among one of the most important factors determining diplomatic behavior and relations in Asia in the coming decades. The Asian Energy Factor tackles this emerging geopolitical concern through an intriguing analysis of Asia's growing demand for energy and its global political, economic, and strategic consequences. Unique from other authors addressing this under-examined issue, Robert Manning sets the stage by exposing the myth that the world is quickly running out of oil. Technology and new methods of both collection and use of energy have made the impending energy crisis espoused by the doomsayers less of a concern. Manning proceeds to focus on the regional powers (China, India, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia) and where their individual energy abilities and needs puts them on the collective strategic map. He examines the commercial and political dynamic between the countries demanding increasing amounts of energy (China, Japan, and India) and those with the reserves (the Middle East and Southeast Asia).
As The Asian Energy Factor aptly points out, energy security is the crux upon which the economic, social, energy, and military policies of Asian nations converge; it is among the most critical issues in the coming decade. Manning delves deep into these economic and strategic complexities and continues to challenge the prevailing wisdom about Asian power structure and energy competition.
Amazon.com
Paco Underhill has a genius for retail. As a follow-up to the bestseller Why We Buy, he has written an arch entertaining ethnography of the shopping mall. Energized by two dripping cinnabons, Underhill guides readers on a walking tour to encounter senior mall walkers, teen jean and hoodie shoppers, shoe fetishists, six second sales greeters, kiosk vendors and food court diners.
He nails our ambivalence about indoor shopping saying, "the mall, like television, is an easy American target for self-loathing. We look at the mall and wonder: is this the best we could do?" He gets the devil in the details with wonderful riffs about global malls, parking spaces, the "free" gift with cosmetics, retail tribalism (Nordstrom versus Ann Taylor, Pac Sun versus Abercrombie) and why CD and bookstores have returned to city streets. But Underhill doesn't whine. When he critiques multiplex theatres, raunchy bathrooms or the absence of coatrooms, he also offers witty suggestions. For example, how to turn a well-appointed restroom into a profit center.
Underhill is convinced that online shopping and fatigued boomer shoppers are leading to the "post-mall era." This kind of prediction makes The Call of the Mall a great read. It is a smart, observant meditation--one that suggests the past and the future of our shopping culture. --Barbara Mackoff
Book Description
Paco Underhill, the Margaret Mead of shopping and author of the huge international bestseller Why We Buy, now takes us to the mall, a place every American has experienced and has an opinion about. The result is a bright, ironic, funny, and shrewd portrait of the mall -- America's gift to personal consumption, its most powerful icon of global commercial muscle, the once new and now aging national town square, the place where we convene in our leisure time.
It's about the shopping mall as an exemplar of our commercial and social culture, the place where our young people have their first taste of social freedom and where the rest of us compare notes. Call of the Mall examines how we use the mall, what it means, why it works when it does, and why it sometimes doesn't.
Download Description
"The author of the international bestseller Why We Buy -- praised by The New York Times as ""a book that gives this underrated skill the respect it deserves"" -- now takes us to the mall, a place every American has experienced and has an opinion about. Paco Underhill, the Margaret Mead of shopping, has run hundreds of research assignments in malls across the country (and in Tokyo and European capitals). He has visited them, observed his fellow mall-ers, looked long and hard for his car in mammoth parking lots, chatted up the staffers, gone hunting for jeans with adolescent girls and anniversary shopping with guys. The result is a bright, ironic, funny, and shrewd portrait of the mall -- America's gift to personal consumption, its most powerful icon of global commercial muscle, the once new and now aging national town square, the place where we convene in our leisure time. Call of the Mall is about desire and buying lingerie, about why the same camel hair coat costs twice as much in the women's department as it does in the boys'. It's about why shoes, handbags, and cosmetics are clustered, why Cartier is next to cut-rate, and why the movie theater is hard to find. It's about the shopping mall as an exemplar of our commercial and social culture, the place where our young people have their first taste of social freedom, and where the rest of us compare notes. Call of the Mall examines how we use the mall, what it means, why it works when it does, and why it sometimes doesn't. Visiting the mall with Paco Underhill is a surprising and insightful tour through the American crossroads. Why We Buy changed the way we watch ourselves shop. Call of the Mall will deepen our understanding of how we live, work, play, and spend."
Customer Reviews:
Somewhat engaging but not very informative .......2006-12-04
"The Call of the Mall" is a book that is sure to please the "minority" of Americans who do not favor the big box/stripmall/fashion mall culture of mainstream America. I am among that growing group of people seeking more sustainable, more humane geographical models of existing and getting along with one another. As an introduction to this notion, "Call of the Mall" is indeed "engaging" as another reviewed described it. However, it does not really address the underlying WHYS of the physical structure of modern America, nor does it propose realistic solutions.
Insider Tour of Malls.......2006-11-02
Underhill meanders through the mall voicing his observations aloud. It feels like an informal tour, but his knowledge of shoppers and retailers is based on the indepth study that has consumed his adult life.
Along the way, he entertains us with descriptions of avid women shoppers, men's discomfort in the mall setting and how teens and seniors interact with malls. The reader gains new insight into his/her own behavior while shopping and in the way the stores lure the buyer.
He touches on international malls, as well as the typical American mall. He exposes their flaws, suggests changes, and praises what works.
I kept feeling that there must be more to tell, as the effect is of a behind-the-scenes, but not all-the-secrets tour.
Insider Tour of Malls.......2006-08-19
Underhill meanders through the mall voicing his observations aloud. It feels like an informal tour, but his knowledge of shoppers and retailers is based on the indepth study that has consumed his adult life.
Along the way, he entertains us with descriptions of avid women shoppers, men's discomfort in the mall setting and how teens and seniors interact with malls. The reader gains new insight into his/her own behavior while shopping and in the way the stores lure the buyer.
He touches on international malls, as well as the typical American mall. He exposes their flaws, suggests changes, and praises what works.
I kept feeling that there must be more to tell, as the effect is of a behind-the-scenes, but not all-the-secrets tour.
Never be a naive shopper again!.......2006-07-19
I love this book. It opened my eyes to all the tricks of the trade: how stores lay out their merchandise to attract buyers, secret shoppers, shopping spies, etc. I now look for end-cap specials, pricing on the low shelves, perimeter shopping, etc. Did you know that stores hire shopping evaluators to follow customers around, recording what they touch, pick up, put in their baskets? I have now spotted several that I would have missed before. I also purchased Underhill's other book, Call of the Mall, although I wouldn't rate it quite as highly as this one. If you are at all interested in the subject of why people buy, then you need to read this book.
A retailing must have!.......2006-07-17
Call of the Mall by Paco Underhill is an excellently written work that explores the geography of mall usage as well as a bit of a history of suburban and urban malls. First off, I was caught by the writing style as it was easy to follow and yet full of good information. Paco explores everything from mall security to food courts to discount jewelry stores being next to Tiffany's. He goes into analyzing the shopping habits of men, women, and teenage girls. He talks about the barrier between the mall and store and how to entice customers inside. All in all, this is a must have for any retail person.
I am into retail but from the web side of things and really enjoyed trying to make connections into that space. It is a little more limited in that aspect but still a good mental exercise. For instance, it is known that as people stay in the mall for a longer period of time they are more and more likely to buy things which is why you have the food court, rock climbing, and movie theatres. Imagine in the web world on ebay where you could have flash games that would allow you to stay and watch your auctions while killing time. Ebay could then put up other similar auctions to the ones you are watching...
Either way, this is a must have for retailers and a fun read for hobby anthropologists.
Average customer rating:
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Commercial Cultures: Economies, Practices, Spaces (Leisure, Consumption and Culture)
Manufacturer: Berg Publishers
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1859733778 |
Book Description
Why do fashion houses pay exorbitant rents for retail space in London and New York from which they sell very few clothes? Why are some mothers happy to buy and sell children’s clothes from charity shops and thrift stores while others insist on the latest brand names for their children? What does the commercial success of men's lifestyle magazines tell us about contemporary gender relations and identities? This book provides answers to these and other questions about contemporary commercial culture through historically specific, theoretically informed, empirically grounded interdisciplinary research.
From shopping malls, supermarkets, and fashion retailers, through the marketing and consumption of food, books and magazines, to sex pics on the internet, contributors overturn the assumption that it is commerce that works by logical economic models while ‘culture’ is invoked to explain the behaviour of the irrational consumer. In proposing a new agenda for understanding the complex relationship between commerce and culture, the book focuses on the point of articulation between commercial enterprises, which are designed to sell goods, and consumers, who purchase goods, to arrive at a broader understanding of the commercial cultures within which both enterprises and consumers operate.
Spanning history, geography, business studies, sociology and anthropology, contributors work in a positive and complementary fashion to give the kinds of insights into the economies, practices and spaces of commercial culture that single disciplines rarely achieve.
Book Description
A leading Bombay advertising agency justifies as traditionally Indian the highly eroticized images it produces to promote the KamaSutra condom brand. Another agency struggles to reconcile the global ambitions of a cellular-phone service provider with the ambivalently local connotations of the client’s corporate brand. When the dream of the 250 million-strong âIndian middle classâ goes sour, Indian advertising and marketing professionals search for new ways to market âthe Indian consumerâânow with added cultural differenceâto multinational clients.
An examination of the complex cultural politics of mass consumerism in a globalized marketplace, Shoveling Smoke is a pathbreaking and detailed ethnography of the contemporary Indian advertising industry. It is also a critical and innovative intervention into current theoretical debates on the intersection of consumerist globalization, aesthetic politics, and visual culture. William Mazzarella traces the rise in India during the 1980s of mass consumption as a self-consciously sensuous challenge to the austerities of state-led developmentalism. He shows how the decisive opening of Indian markets to foreign brands in the 1990s refigured established models of the relationship between the local and the global and, ironically, turned advertising professionals into custodians of cultural integrity.
Books:
- Contemporary Auditing: Real Issues and Cases
- Eco-Imperialism: Green Power, Black Death
- Ethical Theory and Business, Seventh Edition
- Ethical Theory and Business, Seventh Edition
- Ethics: An Introduction to Philosophy and Practice
- Ethics in Counseling and Psychotherapy: Standards, Research, and Emerging Issues
- Ethics in Crime and Justice: Dilemmas and Decisions (Ethics in Crime and Justice)
- Ethics in Crime and Justice: Dilemmas and Decisions (Ethics in Crime and Justice)
- Firms of Endearment: How World-Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose
- Five Minds for the Future
Books Index
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