Luxury Fever: Weighing the Cost of Excess - by Robert H. Frank

In Luxury Fever: Weighing the Cost of Excess, economist Robert H. Frank critiques the social and psychological consequences of conspicuous consumption. Frank argues that the pursuit of luxury goods often leads to a spiral of dissatisfaction, as individuals constantly compare themselves to others in a never-ending race to accumulate wealth and status symbols. The book explores how the desire for excess, while enhancing individual satisfaction in the short term, contributes to greater inequality, environmental degradation, and social fragmentation.