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Abundance for What? and Other Essays
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Abundance for What? and Other Essays

work by Riesman
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Abundance for What? and Other Essays is a 1964 collection of essays by American sociologist David Riesman. The book elaborates on themes introduced in his earlier, more famous work, The Lonely Crowd.1

Riesman's theories categorize social character types based on societal structures and population density:
* Tradition-directed: Individuals in preindustrial societies whose values are dictated by societal traditions.1
* Inner-directed: Individuals in societies with growing populations but not yet densely populated, whose values are set early by their immediate family and remain stable.1
* Other-directed: Individuals in industrialized, densely populated societies whose values are shaped by peer groups and constantly adapt to conform.1

Abundance for What? specifically examines the sociological effects of the Cold War and touches upon issues related to economic abundance, similar to themes explored by John Kenneth Galbraith in The Affluent Society.12

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. David Riesman
  2. John Kenneth Galbraith: Top Questions

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