For decades our political leaders and opinion makers have touted higher incomes as the way to a better future: "Economic growth means better lives for us all." But after years of sustained economic growth and increased personal incomes we must confront an awful fact: we aren't any happier. This is the great contradiction of modern politics. Here, Clive Hamilton argues that, far from being the answer to our problems, growth fetishism and the marketing society lie at the heart of our social ills. They have corrupted our social priorities and political structures, and have created a profound sense of alienation among young and old. This is the first serious attempt at a politics of change for rich countries dominated by sicknesses of affluence, where the real yearning is not for more money but for authenticity, and where the future lies in creating a society that promotes the things that really do improve our well-being.--From publisher description.