Synopses & Reviews
It's something most of us have sensed for years—the rise of a world defined only by “mine” and “now.” A world where business shamelessly seeks the fastest reward, regardless of the long-term social consequences; where political leaders reflexively choose short-term fixes over broad, sustainable social progress; where individuals feel increasingly exploited by a marketplace obsessed with our private cravings yet oblivious to our spiritual well-being or the larger needs of our families and communities.
At the heart of The Impulse Society is an urgent, powerful story: how the pursuit of short-term self-gratification, once scorned as a sign of personal weakness, became the default principle not only for individuals, but for all sectors of our society. Drawing on the latest research in economics, psychology, political philosophy, and business management, Paul Roberts shows how a potent combination of rapidly advancing technologies, corrupted ideologies, and bottom-line business ethics has pushed us across a threshold to an unprecedented state: a virtual merging of the market and the self. The result is a socioeconomic system ruled by impulse, by the reflexive, id-like drive for the largest, quickest, most “efficient” reward, without regard for long-term costs to ourselves or to broader society.
More than thirty years ago, Christopher Lasch hinted at this bleak world in his landmark book, The Culture of Narcissism. In The Impulse Society, Roberts shows how that self-destructive pattern has grown so pervasive that anxiety and emptiness are becoming embedded in our national character. Yet it is in this unease that Roberts finds clear signs of change—and broad revolt as millions of Americans try step off the self-defeating treadmill of gratification and restore a sense of balance. Fresh, vital, and free of ideological, right-wing/left-wing formulations, The Impulse Society shows the way back to a world of real and lasting good.
Review
“A stunning piece of work—perhaps the best single book ever produced about our energy economy and its environmental implications.” —Bill McKibben, The New York Review of Books, on The End of Oil
“Explores a troubling paradox: the more energy we use, the richer we become, but spiraling consumption also speeds us closer to the economic havoc that will result from the depletion of oil and gas reserves . . . [An] outspoken but even-handed account.” —The New Yorker on The End of Oil
“An indispensable book. The best analysis of the global food economy you are likely to find.” —Michael Pollan on The End of Food
Review
"[A] brilliant and thought-provoking new work, which is sure to become one of the most talked about books of the year… Roberts glides easily from one topic to next, each more fascinating than the previous example. His explanations of complex topics are nuanced, yet simple to grasp…The Impulse Society is immensely satisfying to read. Like an antidote to the title of his book, Roberts words bring gratification over time and a long and well-developed argument." - Seattle Times "The Impulse Society is a feisty read and full of energy." - Financial Times "The Impulse Society will shake up our national conversation the way Christopher Laschs The Culture of Narcissism did four decades ago. Paul Roberts challenges people of all political views to ask: What happens when instant gratification goes from being a bad personal habit to becoming the driving force in our political and economic life? Its not pretty, and Roberts is calling us back from the brink." —E.J. Dionne, author of Our Divided Political Heart"Paul Roberts takes the time to reveal how the values and tempo of the marketplace have overtaken those of real life. The Impulse Society is both an apt description of our predicament and a welcome invitation to assert our humanity again." —Douglas Rushkoff, author of Present Shock "The Impulse Society is a book that taps into a sense that we're all adrift -- and finds that technological, economic, and social change has caused us to lose the community that had anchored us. A society that tries to give (and sell) each of us everything we want, Roberts writes, is a society nobody wants. Roberts harkens back to the greatest critics of American individualism—Tocqueville, Dewey, Nisbet, Lasch, Putnam—and finds a call for community as urgent as ever." —Evan Soltas, economics columnist for Bloomberg View"Paul Roberts traces the country's many, disparate ills to the same source: as a nation, weve abandoned the common good. His analysis is smart, provocative, and timely. The Impulse Society compels us to reexamine what it is that we really want." —Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction "In a brilliant feat of analytic journalism, Roberts shows how American judgment has skewed sharply toward the short-term in everything from political outlook to consumer choices—with devastating consequences for families, communities, and even a sense of national purpose. Delayed gratification was once thought of as a quintessential mark of maturity—for societies as much as for individuals. It is a value we need to rediscover—and in this instance, without delay."—Cullen Murphy, author of Are We Rome?, Editor-at-Large, Vanity Fair"Paul Roberts has written eloquently on very big topics before—but maybe never quite as eloquently, on quite as central a predicament. I guarantee this will jog your thinking, and perhaps put you on a new path." —Bill McKibben, author Wandering Home"Roberts breaks out of the conventional wisdom about the failure of our leaders to rise above partisan bickering. Instead, he offers a much fresher but no less damning indictment: American politics has become a ‘product to be bought and sold, a way to satisfy immediate partisan or financial impulses rather than a route to collective problem-solving. With money in politics mattering more and more, politics has become a spectator sport for most citizens while policies increasingly get sold to the highest bidder —when, that is, our dysfunctional system can even produce policies. Agree or disagree, you will be challenged, informed, and provoked." —Jacob S. Hacker, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, Yale University, and co-author, Winner-Take-All Politics"We continue to fracture in every conceivable way: economically, politically, culturally, even within our own individual psyches, as what we want turns out to not to we what we need. In this provocative and original work, Paul Roberts traces how we got to this point —and then leads us to a place that isn't right, left or center, but is simply and refreshingly new, hopeful and humane." —Bill Bishop, author of The Big Sort"Journeying through neuroscience, economics, war and healthcare, Paul Roberts gracefully connects the dots to reach an overwhelming and disturbing conclusion. While we believe we live in a society shaped by reasoned free choice, we actually live in its opposite: a culture hostage to individualized impulse. Yet, by turning the world on its edge, we may yet see it differently. The Impulse Society points the way to liberty in ways we're rarely allowed to imagine." —Raj Patel, author of The Value of Nothing"The Impulse Society is another breakthrough. Roberts enlightens readers with holistic thinking about the interplay of economics, politics and society. This is a rare book that is passionately written, brilliantly argued, and might very well change how you behave for the better." —Parag Khanna, author of The Second World and How to Run the World"Paul Roberts follows in the esteemed line of enlightened critics of uncontrolled capitalism in demanding that we reclaim community for runaway individualism. The market has become so good at fulfilling our impulses that we have forgotten how little it addresses our deeper needs. We now must tame it by reintroducing concerns over community to reach parity with concerns over the self. Our future cannot survive our mocking of cooperation, patience and self-sacrifice. This is one of the most balanced but trenchant criticisms of the reign of the free market." —Jeff Madrick, Editor of Challenge: The Magazine of Economic Affairs"The Impulse Society is a wide-ranging and penetrating account of a country that has given itself over to the idea that the market always knows best. Paul Roberts provides an elegantly written diagnosis, and tells us how to reassert control over our lives, our nation and our future. Roberts argument is impossible to dismiss on ideological grounds, and his book should be read and discussed by every American." —Robert W. McChesney, author of Digital Disconnect
Synopsis
From the bestselling author of The End of Oil and The End of Food, a moment-defining book about how our technologically driven economy has pushed our "culture of narcissism" into hyper-drive over the last three decades—and what we can still do about it.
Synopsis
Paul Roberts' galvanizing, sweeping social critique of our Impulse Society confronts a world where business shamelessly seeks the fastest reward, regardless of the long-term social costs; where political leaders reflexively choose short-term fixes over broad, sustainable social progress; where individuals feel increasingly exploited by a marketplace obsessed with our private cravings but oblivious to our spiritual well-being or the larger needs of our families and communities. How did the pursuit of short-term self-gratification, once scorned as a sign of personal weakness, became the default principle not only for individuals but for all sectors of our society? Drawing on the latest research in economics, psychology, political philosophy, and business management, Roberts shows how a potent combination of rapidly advancing technologies, corrupted ideologies, and bottom-line business ethics has pushed us across a threshold to an unprecedented state: a virtual merging of the market and the self. And yet, even as our dilemma grows, "The Impulse Society "finds hopeful signs-not least, a revolt among everyday Americans against the forces of an unchecked market. Inspired by their example, Roberts outlines a way back to a world of real and lasting good.
Synopsis
In every facet of postindustrial society - -the way we eat, the way we communicate and entertain, the way we work, the way we court lovers and raise children, educate and govern -- technology and affluence now let us reach our goals with a speed and efficiency unimaginable even a generation ago. But the result, Paul Roberts warns, is not all milk, honey, and gold. Companies now reflexively maximize short-term gain at the expense of long-term success. Politicians resort with ever-greater speed to nasty campaign tactics, and can count on their damaging claims to spread before the facts catch up with them. Consumers engage in serial over-indulgence in a self-tailored bubble. And the costs are substantial: financial volatility, health epidemics, environmental exhaustion and political paralysis, to say nothing of a growing, gnawing dissatisfaction.
Over thirty years ago, Christopher Lasch published his landmark book, The Culture of Narcissism, which struck a chord and became a runaway bestseller. Laschs analysis was largely cultural, but the real story has always been an economic one, and the conditions that led to increasing selfishness and the breakdown of society have only gotten worse. Paul Robert digs down to the economic roots of the problem, shows how it has metastisized to affect every facet of our lives and our ability to navigate the future. In clear, cogent prose that mixes illuminating analysis and vibrant reporting, Roberts not only tells the fascinating story of how the impulse society came to be, but shows how, perhaps, a healthier society may still be possible.
Synopsis
In every facet of our lives—the way we eat, the way we communicate and entertain, the way we conduct business, court lovers, and raise children—technology and affluence now let us reach our goals with a speed and efficiency unimaginable even a generation ago. Yet our unprecedented personal power has not come without a cost. Companies now pursue business strategies that maximize short-term gain at the expense of long-term viability. Politicians resort with ever greater ease to divide-and-conquer tactics without regard for the common ground. Consumers, meanwhile, engage in serial over-indulgence to create individual worlds perfectly tailored to desires that can never be fully realized. The consequences: financial volatility, health epidemics, environmental degradation, and political paralysis, to say nothing of a deep and growing dissatisfaction. All reflect a society whose pursuit of self-interest grows more intense and less enlightened every year.
More than thirty years ago, Christopher Lasch published his landmark book, The Culture of Narcissism. Since then, the conditions he described have only gotten worse. And while Laschs analysis was largely cultural, the real story has always been an economic one. Paul Roberts digs down to the economic roots of the problem, showing how it has metastasized over the last three decades. In clear, cogent prose that mixes vibrant reporting and illuminating analysis, Roberts tells the fascinating story of how the impulse society came to be—and shows how, perhaps, a healthier society may still be possible.
Synopsis
Five years after the Great Recession, we must confront an unhappy truth: a high-tech, high-speed, consumer economy engineered to provide maximum power to individuals is destroying our capacity to move forward as a society. Even as rapidly advancing personal technologies let consumers gratify an ever-broader array of desires, a similar pattern of instant gratification in the worlds of business and politics is splitting our economy and undermining our most important social institutions—family, community, collective action. The result is a massive and ongoing fragmentation. Corporate executives now maximize returns without regard for social consequences. Political leaders score quick points while destroying common ground. Consumers cover their growing economic insecurity by retreating into personalized world that render collective social action all but impossible.The consequences: financial volatility, health epidemics, environmental degradation, and political paralysis, to say nothing of a deep and growing dissatisfaction. All reflect a society whose pursuit of self-interest grows more intense and less enlightened every year.
More than thirty years ago, Christopher Lasch published his landmark book, The Culture of Narcissism. Since then, the conditions he described have only gotten worse. And while Laschs analysis was largely cultural, the real story has always been an economic one. Paul Roberts digs down to the economic roots of the problem, showing how it has metastasized over the last three decades. In clear, cogent prose that mixes vibrant reporting and illuminating analysis, Roberts tells the fascinating story of how the impulse society came to be—and shows how, perhaps, a healthier society may still be possible.
Synopsis
The Impulse Society is an ambitious, audacious work that gathers together a series of familiar, but seemingly disparate stories into a single master narrative for our troubled times. Central here: how our entire socioeconomic system has become one giant engine devoted to the selfish, short-term impulses of individuals, CEOs and politicians—while ignoring the pressing, long-term needs of society. Combining illuminating analysis with colorful, telling anecdote, Paul Roberts lays out the history and geography of this new social order and charts a clear pathway toward a different and brighter future.
Drawing on the fields of economics, psychology, history and political philosophy, Roberts shows how we have become so obsessed with "maximizing returns" that we embrace virtually any means—any technology, personal tactic, or corporate strategy—that can deliver, regardless of consequences. Corporate executives maximize returns without regard for social impacts. Political leaders score quick points while destroying common ground. Consumers retreat into personalized worlds that render collective action all but impossible. The results: financial volatility, failing health systems, environmental degradation, political paralysis, and a deep and growing society-wide disaffection.
The Impulse Society gives us an indispensable new lens through which to view a world often seen only in fragments. It is a wake up call that may be loud enough, and smart enough, to inspire action.
About the Author
Paul Roberts is the author of The End of Oil and The End of Food. As a journalist, his writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the New Republic, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and elsewhere. He was a finalist for a National Magazine Award in 1999, and for the New York Public Library Helen Bernstein Book Award in 2005. Roberts appears regularly on TV and radio. He lives in Washington state.