Big Ideas: The Essential Guide to the Latest Thinking [Feb 01, 2008] Harkin, James

James Harkin (Director of Talks)

ISBN 10: 1843547104 / ISBN 13: 9781843547105

Published by Atlantic Books, United Kingdom, London, 2008

About this Item

A witty and indispensable guide to modern-day buzzwords. Big Ideas explains where concepts like 'the long tail', 'urban tribes' and 'soft power' came from, what they mean, and what their critics say about them. It includes explanations of key terms such as: Maturialism: the name given to the new trend among middle-aged people of spending their money on expensive 'youth' gadgets and services, and the new habit among advertisers of targeting the mid-life market, repositioning their brands as accessories to the distinctive joys of mid-life. The Tipping Point: the controversial idea that the best way to understand everything from changing fashions to the rise of teenage smoking is to imagine people as viruses and social phenomena as contagious epidemics. Social Jet Lag: an ailment suffered by up to half the population, social jet lag is said to arise when our body clocks falls out of synch with the demands of our environments, thus putting us at risk of chronic fatigue and an increased susceptibility to disease. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Seller Inventory # GOR001800780

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Big Ideas: The Essential Guide to the Latest Thinking [Feb 01, 2008] Harkin, James
• Publisher: Atlantic Books, United Kingdom, London
• Publication Date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1843547104
• ISBN 13: 9781843547105
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Very Good
• Weight: 100 grams

About this title

Synopsis

"Big Ideas" explains where concepts like 'the long tail', 'urban tribes', 'soft power' and 'metrosexual' came from, what they mean, and what their critics say about them. It includes explanations of key terms such as: Maturialism: the name given to the new trend among middle-aged people of spending their money on expensive 'youth' gadgets and services, and the new habit among advertisers of targeting the mid-life market, repositioning their brands as accessories to the distinctive joys of mid-life; The Tipping Point: the controversial idea that the best way to understand everything from changing fashions to the rise of teenage smoking is to imagine people as viruses and social phenomena as contagious epidemics; And Social Jet Lag: an ailment suffered by up to half the population, social jet lag is said to arise when our body clocks falls out of synch with the demands of our environments, thus putting us at risk of chronic fatigue and an increased susceptibility to disease.

About the Author

James Harkin is director of talks at the ICA. He is a former consultant forecaster at the Social Issues Research Centre. Between 1996 and 1999 he taught politics at Oxford University, where he researched ideas of risk within contemporary society. He now consults widely as a forecaster of social trends and writes for the Guardian and the Financial Times.