The Poverty of Affluence
A Psychological Portrait of the American Way of Life
In his 1983 classic The Poverty of Affluenceexamines the psychological underpinnings of our insatiable desire for growth, and endless quest for “more”—whether in jobs, relationships, or any other sphere of life—suggesting that our commitment to consumption is in fact an increasingly desperate attempt to replace the sense of community that our very growth has torn apart.
Paul L. Wachtel, PhD, is CUNY Distinguished Professor in the doctoral program in clinical psychology at City College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Yale University and is a graduate of the postdoctoral program in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy at New York University, where he is also a faculty member. Dr. Wachtel has lectured and given workshops throughout the world on psychotherapy, personality theory, and the applications of psychological theory and research to the major social issues of our time. He has been a leading voice for integrative thinking in the human sciences and was a co-founder of the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration. Dr. Wachtel is a recipient of the Hans H. Strupp Memorial Award for psychoanalytic writing, teaching, and research; the Distinguished Psychologist Award from Division 29 (Psychotherapy) of the American Psychological Association (APA); and the Scholarship and Research Award from Division 39 (Psychoanalysis) of APA.
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