Misfortune and Fame

Paul Berton takes aim at the waste and excess of consumer culture with a lively and satire-laced exposé of the rich, famous and totally miserable. There is little argument that having enough money to meet your needs is important. But beyond that, what makes us happy? Is a lot of money the answer? Is a glamorous life actually glamorous? Must we have thousands of followers on social media, only to have the internet rabble criticize us at every turn? Amid all the fun and frivolity, there is inevitable misery and madness. A double-edged sword. A poisoned chalice. That’s what this book is about: In ten punchy chapters full of anecdotes about the miseries and misfortunes of the affluent, Berton offers readers ten reasons NOT to wish for fame or fortune. Paul Berton’s previous book about consumerism, Shopomania (2022), was described as a must-read primer for understanding how our thirst for acquiring and showcasing things has exacted heavy tolls on our psychology, on our society, and on the environment. Cataloguing the symptoms of our shopaholic culture, Berton shares wisdom about breaking the shackles imposed by our possessions.
(Mark Cleveland, PhD, professor and Dancap Chair in Consumer Behavior, University of Western Ontario.)