The New Better Off
Reinventing the American Dream
by Courtney E. Martin
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Pub Date Sep 13 2016 | Archive Date Sep 13 2016
Perseus Books, Seal Press | Seal Press
Description
Are we living the good life—and what defines 'good', anyway? Americans today are constructing a completely different framework for success than their parents' generation, using new metrics that TEDWomen speaker and columnist Courtney Martin has termed collectively the "New Better Off".
The New Better Off puts a name to the growing American phenomenon of rejecting the traditional dream of a 9-to-5 job, home ownership, and a nuclear family structure—and illuminates the alternate ways Americans are seeking happiness and fulfillment. And the stats back up Martin’s claims:
- 35% of Millennials don’t identify with any religion
- It’s estimated that by 2020, half of all American workers will be freelance
- Home ownership is at the lowest rates since 1995 for all Americans and lowest on record for those under 35
From how we view work, to customs and community, marriage, money, living arrangements, and spirituality, The New Better Off uses personal stories and social analysis to explore the trends shaping our country today. Martin highlights how people are realizing that there is safety and joy in numbers--whether that’s in a co-working space, a shared house, or a men's group. They're also realizing that our most precious resource isn't money, but time. They're asking, "How much money is enough money?" The New Better Off presents a fresh take on trendy topics from collaborative consumption, communal living, to the breaking down of gender roles.
For those already beginning to implement the New Better Off lifestyle, those who aspire to, and those who are perplexed by the young and courageous Americans they see breaking free from the traditional rules of the American Dream, The New Better Off is about the creative choices individuals are making in their vocational and personal lives, and it’s also about the movements that are coalescing around the New Better Off idea.
The New Better Off puts a name to the growing American phenomenon of rejecting the traditional dream of a 9-to-5 job, home ownership, and a nuclear family structure—and illuminates the alternate ways Americans are seeking happiness and fulfillment. And the stats back up Martin’s claims:
- 35% of Millennials don’t identify with any religion
- It’s estimated that by 2020, half of all American workers will be freelance
- Home ownership is at the lowest rates since 1995 for all Americans and lowest on record for those under 35
From how we view work, to customs and community, marriage, money, living arrangements, and spirituality, The New Better Off uses personal stories and social analysis to explore the trends shaping our country today. Martin highlights how people are realizing that there is safety and joy in numbers--whether that’s in a co-working space, a shared house, or a men's group. They're also realizing that our most precious resource isn't money, but time. They're asking, "How much money is enough money?" The New Better Off presents a fresh take on trendy topics from collaborative consumption, communal living, to the breaking down of gender roles.
For those already beginning to implement the New Better Off lifestyle, those who aspire to, and those who are perplexed by the young and courageous Americans they see breaking free from the traditional rules of the American Dream, The New Better Off is about the creative choices individuals are making in their vocational and personal lives, and it’s also about the movements that are coalescing around the New Better Off idea.
A Note From the Publisher
A groundbreaking exploration of the ways Americans are reinventing success and redefining “better off,” through lives that reject traditional status symbols in lieu of fulfillment and value relationships over money
Advance Praise
“I've been waiting for someone to articulate what the brilliant Courtney Martin has done in The New Better Off. The book poses a question that I believe is critical to our families, our culture, our nation: What does it mean and who gets to determine what a good life, a safe life, a happy life and generous life looks like? And how did we get to this place where to be well-off means to be constantly busy and tired and distracted, disconnected from our families and communities? I hope everyone reads this book and examines what matters most in their lives, and in the life of our society. “
—Elizabeth Lesser, author of Marrow and Broken Open, and cofounder of Omega Institute
"The New Better Off is essential to understanding how to have a better life and a new and better you. Too many of us are sick and tired of the 9-5 grind, of having to fall in line, of seeing success as a purely individual pursuit; Martin shows that there is another way.”
—Richard Florida, author of Rise of the Creative Class
"In times of great disruption we are forced to question everything. Courtney Martin has taken this to heart and challenges us to reassess, rethink and reinvent the very notion of what a ‘good life’ might be. The New Better Off is an invaluable source of insight and inspiration for those wishing to embark on one of post-consumer society’s most important projects."
—Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO and author of Change by Design
"When a moment and a voice align perfectly, you get a book like The New Better Off. Courtney Martin reimagines success and purpose in ways counterintuitive and wise. This is our future speaking the language of our ancestors. Listen closely.”
—Eric Liu, founder and CEO, Citizen University
"We all know that money can't buy peace, kindness or honesty—in the Age of Trump, what could be more clear? Courtney Martin is a practical and lyrical explorer in showing us how money as the only measure of "better off" has failed us, and what is needed to create a new American Dream for us and the next generation. Never has there been a more timely and livable book."
—Gloria Steinem
"This book encapsulates a huge idea: That our dreams of individual success are in urgent need of an upgrade. Courtney Martin makes the case with extraordinary eloquence anchored in beautiful personal stories. If you're depressed about the current state of America, she offers a powerful antidote."
—Chris Anderson, CEO of TED
“Courtney Martin, who’s less than half my age, has been a mentor to me for nearly a decade. In 2008, when her second book came out, I called her “one of our most insightful culture critics and finest young writers.” With The New Better Off, I’m doubling down on that praise. Telling compelling real-life stories backed by carefully researched facts—all of it couched in her beautifully readable prose—Martin reframes what it means to live a good life in ways that offer her generation and mine much-needed inspiration and practical guidance. “
—Parker J. Palmer, author of Let Your Life Speak, A Hidden Wholeness,
and Healing the Heart of Democracy
“Unabashed, provocative, and deeply soulful, Courtney Martin is the prophet you didn’t know you were seeking. In The New Better Off, she offers a blueprint for living that’s radically different from the one you grew up with. Whether or not you agree with all its details, its spirit will inspire you to examine your life—and if you don’t like what you find there, give you the courage to rebuild.”
—Susan Cain, co-founder of Quiet Revolution and New York Times bestselling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
—Elizabeth Lesser, author of Marrow and Broken Open, and cofounder of Omega Institute
"The New Better Off is essential to understanding how to have a better life and a new and better you. Too many of us are sick and tired of the 9-5 grind, of having to fall in line, of seeing success as a purely individual pursuit; Martin shows that there is another way.”
—Richard Florida, author of Rise of the Creative Class
"In times of great disruption we are forced to question everything. Courtney Martin has taken this to heart and challenges us to reassess, rethink and reinvent the very notion of what a ‘good life’ might be. The New Better Off is an invaluable source of insight and inspiration for those wishing to embark on one of post-consumer society’s most important projects."
—Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO and author of Change by Design
"When a moment and a voice align perfectly, you get a book like The New Better Off. Courtney Martin reimagines success and purpose in ways counterintuitive and wise. This is our future speaking the language of our ancestors. Listen closely.”
—Eric Liu, founder and CEO, Citizen University
"We all know that money can't buy peace, kindness or honesty—in the Age of Trump, what could be more clear? Courtney Martin is a practical and lyrical explorer in showing us how money as the only measure of "better off" has failed us, and what is needed to create a new American Dream for us and the next generation. Never has there been a more timely and livable book."
—Gloria Steinem
"This book encapsulates a huge idea: That our dreams of individual success are in urgent need of an upgrade. Courtney Martin makes the case with extraordinary eloquence anchored in beautiful personal stories. If you're depressed about the current state of America, she offers a powerful antidote."
—Chris Anderson, CEO of TED
“Courtney Martin, who’s less than half my age, has been a mentor to me for nearly a decade. In 2008, when her second book came out, I called her “one of our most insightful culture critics and finest young writers.” With The New Better Off, I’m doubling down on that praise. Telling compelling real-life stories backed by carefully researched facts—all of it couched in her beautifully readable prose—Martin reframes what it means to live a good life in ways that offer her generation and mine much-needed inspiration and practical guidance. “
—Parker J. Palmer, author of Let Your Life Speak, A Hidden Wholeness,
and Healing the Heart of Democracy
“Unabashed, provocative, and deeply soulful, Courtney Martin is the prophet you didn’t know you were seeking. In The New Better Off, she offers a blueprint for living that’s radically different from the one you grew up with. Whether or not you agree with all its details, its spirit will inspire you to examine your life—and if you don’t like what you find there, give you the courage to rebuild.”
—Susan Cain, co-founder of Quiet Revolution and New York Times bestselling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781580055796 |
| PRICE | $24.00 (USD) |
