Dying of Consumption? Voluntary Simplicity as an Antidote to Hypermaterialism

27 Pages Posted: 14 Jan 2010

See all articles by Hershey H. Friedman

Hershey H. Friedman

Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Linda Weiser Friedman

Baruch College, CUNY - Zicklin School of Business; CUNY - The Graduate Center

Date Written: January 13, 2010

Abstract

The economic path we are currently on, which focuses on extreme materialism and overconsumption, is leading us to destruction. It is not sustainable and is destroying the true values that result in a healthy and happy society. After the financial meltdown of 2008, it is becoming very obvious that we need a new economics, one that is moral and considers more than profit and growth. This paper examines the effects of hypermaterialism and overconsumption and proposes that one possible solution may be found in the movement toward voluntary simplicity. Voluntary simplicity can help lead us on a path toward sustainable development and away from the greed-is-good credo that nearly caused another Great Depression.

Keywords: business education, materialism, consumption, self interest, voluntary simplicity, sustainability, corporate social responsibility, business ethics, financial meltdown.

JEL Classification: A22, A23, B25, I31, M14

Suggested Citation

Friedman, Hershey H. and Friedman, Linda Weiser, Dying of Consumption? Voluntary Simplicity as an Antidote to Hypermaterialism (January 13, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1536006 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1536006

Hershey H. Friedman

Brooklyn College of the City University of New York ( email )

Linda Weiser Friedman (Contact Author)

Baruch College, CUNY - Zicklin School of Business ( email )

17 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10010
United States

HOME PAGE: http://cisnet.baruch.cuny.edu/friedman/

CUNY - The Graduate Center

365 Fifth Avenue
New York,, NY 10016
United States

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