In this cross between In Praise of Slowness and The Tipping Point, consumer behavior expert James A. Roberts takes us on a tour of America's obsession with consumerism-pointing out its symptoms, diagnosing specific problems, and offering a series of groundbreaking solutions. Roberts offers practical, helpful advice for how to correct the materialistic trends in our lives, trends that lock us into a cycle of stress and financial hardship. A new The Paradox of Choice for the modern reader, Roberts's Shiny Object is far more than a polemic against spending or a critique of capitalism-it's an exploration of how we can learn to live happier, fuller, more productive lives today.