The Loss of Happiness in Market Democracies

Rating:
Summary: A good start to a big question
Review: I agree with the previous reviewer that this book doesn't have all the answers, and that Lane often spends too much time pressing the same points. That said, Lane supports his conclusions well, and presents his central message clearly. For someone without much philosophy background (i.e. me), Lane's discussion of the trinity of ultimate goods was valuable and instructive. To recently graduated students: this is book is a great reason to use your alumni library privleges.

Rating:
Summary: Loss of Happiness in Market Democracies
Review: Mr. Lane attempts to tackle a serious issue of great importance to modern capitalist democracies. Certainly after long days we all wonder if the drudgery of capitalist lifestyles is worth the rewards. However, the book suffers from many analytical flaws. It attempts to find casual mechanisms resulting in unhappiness, but fails to adequately untangle the many sources of unhappiness and several times places emphasis on clearly the wrong one. The book is also extremely redundant, and could have been condensed to half its size. Lastly, many of the studies cited needed more justification and explanation. The results of the studies certainly are an adequate factual foundation to justify the facade he attempts to build. It certainly is a beginning to a discourse on a serious question, but this book does not have the answers.