Extravagance and Misery

Extravagance and Misery discusses the economic inequalities that characterize capitalist societies. What causes these inequalities? Why are they unfair? Do they make us unhappy and, if so, why? Which stories do we tell each other about those inequalities and why do these stories help perpetuate them? What role do emotions, such as shame (amongst the poor) and envy and admiration (for the rich) play? The authors draw on insights from philosophers, economists, psychologists and other scientists to explain the structural mechanisms underlying inequality, and the impact it has on our well-being and happiness. The result is an explanation of the emotional regime that characterizes our capitalist societies and that perpetuates the unfair gap between the extravagance of the rich and the misery of the poor. Finally, Extravagance and Misery proposes how to re-shape this emotional regime in the interests of justice and solidarity.

Auteur

Alan Thomas is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of York. Educated at Cambridge, Harvard and Oxford he has held visiting positions at the Australian National University, St. Louis University, Tulane University, and the University of British Columbia. His previous publications include Value and Context and Republic of Equals, both published by Oxford University Press. Alfred Archer is an Associate Professor at Tilburg University. He was educated at the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh. He has worked at the University of Bristol and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and held a visiting position at Freie Universität Berlin. His previous publications include Honouring and Admiring the Immoral: An Ethical Guide and Why It's OK to be a Sports Fan, both published by Routledge. Bart Engelen is an Associate Professor at Tilburg. After his PhD and postdoctoral research at KU Leuven, he moved to Tilburg University. His research focuses on the borders between ethics, political philosophy and economics. He has published extensively on the ethics of nudging and issues surrounding rationality, autonomy, paternalism, moral education, voting and markets. He is currently the head of research of Tilburg University's Department of Philosophy.