Luxury Of Fever Essay

The main subject of this book is the current luxury spending trend and how it can be regulated to allow the achievement of happier lives for everyone. The book portrays the inequalities in the society. It delves into the factors that shape such inequalities and offers strategies on how to solve them.
One key piece of evidence that the author uses to support his case include the large scientific literature that show that material wealth does not produce measurable gains in a person’s psychological and physical well being. He quotes papers that have shown previous excessive spending that only serves to create competition among the rich on who can out spend the other. He also quotes studies that show the various categories in which extra spending would lead to happier lives. He establishes those areas as alleviating traffic jams, increasing time spent with families and friends, cleaner air, and water.
The most important idea presented in this book is that it is possible to impose a consumption tax, and the money collected spent in constructing infrastructure. I agree with this idea because it would curb spending on luxury purchases that do not add value to other people. This would force the rich to spend their money in constructing infrastructure that would help create happier lives for everyone. The single most significant action that I can take in response to reading this book is to advocate for the establishment of policies that will establish a consumption tax. I would recommend this book to classmates, friends, and family because this would create awareness and help to build a critical mass that can advocate for the establishment of consumption tax.