an eye-opener.

Generation Xer's hear time and time again how we are a generation all about instant gratification. We skip the starter houses and buy houses our parents couldn't afford until much later in life. We buy the fancy washing machine that matches the fancy dryer even though we have a perfectly good set of white ones in the basement. We charge, charge, charge because we want it now, now, now. It's a problem, and although our elder's may blame us, it's really American's problem. Just ask journalist Paul Roberts, he'll tell you all about it in his latest socioeconomic book titled The Impulse Society: America in the Age of Instant Gratification.

Compiled of three parts and nine chapters, The Impulse Society touches on our society and its focus on instant gratification and narrow self-interest which hinders our leader's ability to think about our future as a whole, keeping the long run in mind. Leaders are giving us what we want, not what we need. Roberts talks about how patience, discipline, and self-sacrifice are no longer being practiced, and have become unnecessary. And what has taken the place of these values? Close-minded pleasure that has consequences we are simply delaying. What changes can we make now? For starters you can spend less time on your smart phones and more time with your family. You can buy local rather than from the man. You can live out your values to the best of your ability and hope that it spreads farther and faster than greed and impulse.