On the Nightstand: Buying In by Rob Walker

In our Green @ Home post, we mentioned that we want to work on reducing our consumption. Yesterday, we made a first step towards this goal through buying a new book. (We know, it's a little counterintuitive.) We're hoping that Rob Walker's Buying In: The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are, will help us better understand our own buying habits and give us fresh perspective on curbing our consumption...

As the "Consumed" columnist for the New York Times, Walker has been tracking consumer trends for a while now. He argues that, despite the declarations that consumers have more power than ever, we continue buy into branding and the idea that products define our personalities. In fact, we're consuming more than ever. Walker argues that "there's nothing to be gained by simply believing we are immune to brands. But there might be something gained in understanding why we aren't."

We're looking forward to delving into this book, which covers brands from Hello Kitty to Chuck Taylors to Wal-Mart. For more information, click here.

Any first-hand reviews from readers who have finished the book?

Comments (13)

A little voice is saying to me that I should get this book.

Reduce your consumption and check out the book from a library!

Hee hee... I think it's funny that the next sentence after deciding to reduce consumption involves buying a book.

Regarding the book, sounds like a great subject to explore. Certainly, it explains why adolescents are such a sought-after market. Young people are trying desperately to define themselves and branding gives them an easy way to do so.

hmmm interesting. The upc code on the cover. Genius point.

I've been making progress in this area lately by buying on half.com. Then after I've read the book, and maybe passed it around a little, I re-sell it on half.com. Feels good.

I know I should do the library thing, but my way is better than no effort.

I listened to it on iTunes when it was released. Great book! Really up-to-the-minute with products and their campaigns, but it probably won't curb your consumption. It's more about how advertising (even non-traditional sorts) affects people and why it works so well. I thought it did a solid job on defining certain kinds of imagery, like how and why skater culture (graphics, apparel, lifestyle) became/is such a big tween/teen/young adult phenomenon, and how products become imbued with certain attitudes and raditate perceptions about the people that gravitate towards them.

Re: how this book will help reduce your consumption, I think understanding how the game is played will help you recognize why you buy the things you do and separate your real needs from the perceived needs addressed/promoted by ad campaigns.

Trying to think about how I define myself with brands... well, I don't buy a lot, so what does that say about me? That I'm undefined? That I don't exist? OK, so companies have sold me my discontent, if not their products.

Just yesterday a friend said she found it amusing when people buy books to tell them how to curtail consumption/live simply. Use the library. Or donate your book to the library.

I'm a library fan, but Half.com or some other used venue is also great. Some books are worth owning.

How does Walker's message differ from Vance Packard's? Except for skater culture artifacts--you, too, can be a rebel by owning this.

K T G is absolutely right. What does this boo tell me that I don't already know and that hasn't been said a thousand times already?

@MichaelF It's got a pretty new cover.