Product Description

For millions of years, humankind has used a brilliantly successful survival strategy. If we like something, we chase after more of it: more status, more food, more info, more stuff. Then we chase again. Its how we survived famine, disease and disaster to colonise the world.

But now, thanks to technology, weve suddenly got more of everything than we can ever use, enjoy or afford. That doesnt stop us from striving though and its making us sick, tired, overweight, angry and in debt. It burns up our personal ecologies and the planets ecology too.

We urgently need to develop a sense of enough. Our culture keeps telling us that we dont yet have all we need to be happy, but in fact we need to nurture a new skill the ability to bask in the bounties all around us.

ENOUGH explores how our Neolithic brain-wiring spurs us to build a world of overabundance that keeps us hooked on more. John explains how, through adopting the art of enoughness, we can break from this wrecking cycle. With ten chapters on topics such as Enough food, Enough stuff, Enough hurry and Enough information, he explores how we created the problem and gives us practical ways to make our lives better.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #45299 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Daily Mail
'A liberating and wry take on the treadmill of modern life'

Review
'witty, self-depreciating' (Financial Times )

The Times
'An inspirational book on how to come clean about our own responsibility for superabundance'

Customer Reviews

An important message, conveyed with flair and a sense of humour
There has been plenty written about consumerism and why we spend, but this is the first time I've seen it explored in evolutionary terms. It's an interesting theory, that our somewhat irrational consumer habits are the result of ancient survival mechanisms. In order to create more a sustainable future, we need to learn to recognise enough when we see it, and evolve a stop button.

The book's much broader than that, our hunting and gathering instincts are more of a recurring theme along the way as John Naish tackles a range of issues, including our pursuit of more food, more information, and more work. He draws on a range of trends, observations and research, and also seeks out relevant experts to interview.

Each chapter concludes with practical suggestions for finding the elusive 'enough' point - the point at which further increase makes no difference to our wellbeing, and these are original and practical.

John Naish writes with flair and a sense of humour, and cheerfully admits he hasn't got all the answers. There's plenty you'll have heard before if you've done much reading on simplicity and consumerism, but Naish has an unusual perspective and a very readable style, and Enough has much to recommend it.

Enough of always wanting more and better
A brilliant book reflecting on the sheer stupidity of our endless striving for better and more when we already have more than enough. We have evolved into a race chasing the impossible dream that ends up with us all stressed out, depleting our resources, unhappy and unfulfilled. The author argues we need to develop a cultural sense of "enoughness" and to be happy with what we HAVE rather than always striving for more and better.

I couldn't put this book down and all the way through was saying, "yes, spot on" again and again and again. Having read the book I doubt any of us will instantly change our ways, but just maybe we will reflect on our culture and modus operandi and think a bit more carefully about what is REALLY important in our lives.

The book is not a dull, environmentalist tome. Rather it is full of humour and light-heartedness. A truly excellent read for western man in the 21st century. I suspect this book will be seen in years to come as the book that woke us up and brought us to our senses in much the way that Rachael Carson's "Silent Spring" did back in the 1960s.

Can't get enough!
This is a great book - I did not want to put it down. It explains in a simple and insightful way what is happening to us and why we are on a self destruct path. I love the references to our evolution. It would be good if they could give every slimmer a copy of chapter 2 on enough food! Highly recommended reading!