The Waste Makers

The Waste Makers is a 1960 book on consumerism by Vance Packard. It was bestselling when it was released. The book argues that people in the United States consume a lot more than they should and are harmed by their consumption.

Summary
One reviewer summarized the book's thesis as follows:

Another reviewer noted:

Vance Packard worked to change the meaning of the term "consumerism" from a positive word about consumer practices to a negative word meaning excessive materialism and waste. The ads for his book The Waste Makers prominently featured the word "consumerism" in a negative way.

Reviews
One reviewer said that the book is an examination of how economic growth became thought to be a virtue.

Another reviewer said that the book describes the manipulation of ordinary people by business interests. The reviewer for Commentary noted that Packard had made harsh attacks on businessmen.