{"product_id":"the-waste-makers-vance-packard-9781935439370","title":"The Waste Makers","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn exposé of \"the systematic attempt of business to make us wasteful, debt-ridden, permanently discontented individuals,\" \u003ci\u003eThe Waste Makers \u003c\/i\u003eis Vance Packard's pioneering 1960 work on how the rapid growth of disposable consumer goods was degrading the environmental, financial, and spiritual character of American society.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Waste Makers \u003c\/i\u003ewas the first book to probe the increasing commercialization of American life--the development of consumption for consumption's sake. Packard outlines the ways manufacturers and advertisers persuade consumers to buy things they don't need and didn't know they wanted, including the two-of-a-kind of everything syndrome--\"two refrigerators in every home\"--and appeals to purchase something because it is more expensive, or because it is painted in a new color. The book also brought attention to the concept of planned obsolescence, in which a \"death date\" is built into products so that they wear out quickly and need to be replaced. By manipulating the public into mindless consumerism, Packard believed that business was making us \"more wasteful, imprudent, and carefree in our consuming habits,\" which was using up our natural resources at an alarming rate.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA prescient book that predicted the rise of American consumer culture, this all new edition of \u003ci\u003eThe Waste Makers \u003c\/i\u003efeatures an introduction by best-selling author Bill McKibben.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVance Packard \u003c\/b\u003e(1914-1996) was an American journalist, social critic, and best-selling author. Among his other books were \u003ci\u003eThe Hidden Persuaders\u003c\/i\u003e, about how advertisers use psychological methods to get people to buy the products they sell; \u003ci\u003eThe Status Seekers\u003c\/i\u003e, which describes American social stratification and behavior; and \u003ci\u003eThe Naked Society\u003c\/i\u003e, about the threats to privacy posed by new technologies.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Vance Packard\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1935439375\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781935439370\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Ig Publishing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/04\/2011\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 216\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.73lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.30h x 5.58w x 0.87d","brand":"Vance Packard","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43983839953151,"sku":"9781935439370","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_3977d4bd-546a-4b01-b826-497d1d9aec7b.jpg?v=1683269023","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-waste-makers-vance-packard-9781935439370","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}