Affluenza - Oliver James

Affluenza? Don't catch it or buy it.

The basic criticisms that this is a poorly written, sketchily researched, overlong magazine article are spot on. What I don't understand are the reviews that suggest we read the book for the idea and that the idea is good. It is an interesting concept but this a place to review published works not concepts so giving the book one star because you hate the idea or five stars because you like it is pointless. I happen to think it's a useful idea and a catchy title. Doesn't stop me also recognising that it is a really poor book and I'll never get back the hours I lost reading it.

A personal view

I admit that I have not read this book from front to back but have had a very good look nonetheless. I also think that it was very well researched with a great deal of statistical information to back up much of what is said.

Affluenza is clearly a massive problem with people in the richer countries, mainly because of ignorance and short sightedness by people with newly acquired funds. Maybe though this credit crunch will do much to quell the huge desire to shop till you drop and to hell with anyone else or tomorrow.

I was not however entirely in agreement with everything this author states and in particular am not entirely happy with his views on women and their ambitions. I do believe that he writes very much from personal experience despite his research.

It is interesting in this book that Russian women appear to be held in surprisingly high esteem. There is no doubt that they are often well educated in the classics and surely love a high minded debate but to deny that Russian women marry for a visa or to better themselves financially is a clear variation on the usual view. Oliver James clearly sees behind the 'stunning beauty' of almost any Russian woman to see an unusually kind hearted woman who does not judge a man by his looks, style or character but rather 'how he will take care of her'not the size of his wallet though - how odd!!! I could not help but feel rather suspicous of his respect for the way a Russian woman looks after herself whilst condemning other women as shallow for looking in a mirror. It sounds to me that he has fallen in love with a Russian woman and is trying to justify his over enthusiasm.

In my opinion (for what it is worth) a womans appearance is intrinsic to her pride and self esteem. Whatever you may argue you cannot change that aspect of human nature mainly due to the attention one gets. It is pointless to try to argue that a woman who dresses in the leftovers from a jumble sale and takes no pride in her face and figure will be highly considered by men or women. It is possibly a harsh reality but you cannot change it. Mr James encourages the idea that women should stay at home with children for the sake of her happiness but this is a very personal point of view. He also suggests that almost everyone should go for therapy to get over their childhood at a cost of nearly 2000 pounds for a week.

From what I have said you may think that I did not think much of the book but I did find it interesting in many ways. Yes materialism must be fought by instilling creativity and interest by everyone in their daily lives, encouraging young people to value non materialistic things but it is not the worst problem we are facing in the world and I dont think it is appropriate to attack women for doing their best to look attractive - sometimes at very little expense but a great deal of effort.

Morally bankrupt

Life, points out Macbeth, is a tale told by an idiot. The same, of course, is true of books written by Oliver James. Britain's most self-publicising pretend psychologist (does the British Psychological Society recognise his 'expertise'? Does it heck!) has been writing drivel for years, garbage purporting to be scientific but mainly the product of his distinctly peculiar mind.

The difference between this and some of his other books is that the central idea (money can't buy you happiness) is actually quite an accurate one which has been well researched by real psychologists. Granted, it's not original and even his title is stolen from another book, but he has the germ of an idea here - even if it's someone else's.

However, he is so hopeless with his arguments that he leaves you less convinced of even the most self-evident aspects than you were before you started reading. So Nigerians spend less time on the couch than New Yorkers? No kidding! They're probably busy wondering where their next meal is coming from. The World Health Organisation, which provides some of the data he mangles so incompetently, stress that the data should not be used to make like-for-like comparisons of states of mental health across countries. That doesn't stop Mr James, though.

A lousy book by a terrible author. Perhaps he should give some of his money away? He might feel better.

trash

if James so dislikes the West
A.. why does he not move to Nigeria
B.. why is he breeding
The book was trash, I had to speed read it, then BIN it.
I only found out about uncensored Amazon reviewing watching Discovery science in a hotel room taking a break from Afluensa...
What a fantastic Western Idea

Good start

I think this is a good introduction into the concept of affluenza. I think Oliver James' makes good points, especially in childcare and the lack of parenting and just sending children to nurseries at a very young age.
I'm not bothered by the structure...i think some people just need to read something, and stop being so nitpicking. If you dont like it...you dont like it...but it doesn't take away from the concept of Affluenza. Hopefully this will get people into thinking about their life and get them to change aspects of their life.