Spent

Evolutionary psychology—the compelling science
of human nature—has clarified the prehistoric origins
of human behavior and influenced many fields ranging
from economics to personal relationships. In Spent
Geoffrey Miller applies this revolutionary science’s
principles to a new domain: the sensual wonderland
of marketing and status seeking that we call American
consumer culture. Starting with the basic notion that
the goods and services we buy unconsciously advertise
our biological potential as mates and friends, Miller
examines the hidden factors that dictate our choices in
everything from lipstick to cars, from the magazines
we read to the music we listen to. With humor and
insight, Miller analyzes an array of product choices
and deciphers what our decisions say about ourselves,
giving us access to a new way of understanding—and
improving—our behaviors. Like Freakonomics or The
Tipping Point, Spent is a bold and revelatory book that
illuminates the unseen logic behind the chaos of consumerism
and suggests new ways we can become happier
consumers and more responsible citizens.
A leading evolutionary
psychologist probes the hidden
instincts behind our working,
shopping, and spending