Tune into the news and you'll hear stories of war, disease, natural
disasters, corruption, violence, poverty, crime, nuclear proliferation,
terrorism and political dysfunction in Washington. Polls show many
believe the American dream is fading, our children face limited
opportunities, and the country is decidedly on the wrong track. Yet this
dour perspective - one recycled 24/7 by the national media - is a gross
distortion of the world we live in today.
As national investment expert and bestselling author Alexander Green
reveals in this engrossing and provocative new book, the human race has
never had it so good. In the West today, we work shorter hours, have
more purchasing power, enjoy goods and services in almost limitless
supply, and have more leisure time than ever before. Living standards
are the highest they have ever been. The human life span has nearly
doubled over the past hundred years. Literacy and education levels -
even I.Q.'s - are at all-time highs. Technology and medicine are
revolutionizing our lives. All forms of pollution - with the exception
of greenhouse gases - are in decline. Access to the arts has never been
greater. Crime is in a long-term cycle of decline. And the risk of death
by violence has never been smaller for most of humanity.
By almost every measure, our lives today are wealthy beyond measure. We
are all heir to an embarrassment of riches. Yet - thanks in large part
the drumbeat of negative media coverage - most of us don't realize it.
Green compares the average citizen to "a lottery winner whose ticket is
lost in some upstairs drawer."
The consequences of adopting the cynical but popular worldview are many,
including needless pessimism, missed investment opportunities, and -
surprisingly - even poorer health. Yet An Embarrassment of Riches
provides a powerful antidote.
Green begins with a robust survey of the many ways our lives are
becoming longer, easier, safer, healthier and more prosperous. He then
embarks on a wide-ranging exploration of the ideas and the many men and
women - both living and dead - that are still enriching our lives today.
Among the many subjects explored are American exceptionalism, the
extraordinary power of economic freedom, the lifesaving role of medicine
and technology, the life-extending benefits of optimism, the radical
theology of Thomas Jefferson, the keys to civility and greatness, the
wisdom of Confucius and Aristotle, the ability of beauty to enrich our
lives, and even one artist's thought-provoking take on "how to defeat
death."
In An Embarrassment of Riches, New York Times bestselling author
Alexander Green offers a holistic approach to wealth - and offers a
welcome perspective that allows us to live fuller, richer lives.
