The overspent American
Subtitle: upscaling, downshifting, and the new consumer
By: Juliet B. Schor
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Basic Books
Published: 1998
Place of publication: New York, NY
Language: eng
Number of pages: 253
Subjects: Consumption (Economics); Credit; Personal Finance; Consumer behavior; Values; Debt; Lifestyles; Saving and investment
Description: Juliet Schor presents original research showing how keeping up with the Joneses has evolved from keeping pace with one's neighbors and others in a similar social set to keeping up with a referent group that may include co-workers who earn five times one's own salary or television "friends" whose lifestyle is unattainable for the average person.

The book also describes the growing backlash of people who are "downshifting" by working less, earning less, and finding balance by getting their lifestyles in sync with their values.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [175]-196) and index.