Reviewed by Alan F Kay
John Robbins book, The New Good Life, unveils the up-and-down extremes of his own life. At two different times he had enormous wealth. The first was offered to him in ways that most people if made aware of such an opportunity would have whole-heartedly accepted and thereafter for years would be totally pleased, as heir to Baskin-Robbins business and fortune. Robbins had strong reasons to accept that offer himself but didn’t because it would not allow him to live in the extreme ways he wanted that, when ultimately practiced, he thoroughly enjoyed. Much later he had little interest in and knowledge of investing and found an investment professional whom he had known well and successfully managed Robbins portfolio that was ultimately worth multi-millions until one day when it was worth nothing. All of his investments were included in the $50 billion held in Bernie Madoff’s ponzi scheme.
Robbins over time had also been a thoughtful, wise and interesting writer whose works captivated readers. His books were increasingly successful and slowly became well known, many in the US but also globally.
He had already started living in ways that attracted him conceptually and he believed would satisfy him, namely living close to the land in an island off of British Columbia with his wife, small family and sometimes neighbors. He and his wife also had to take care of their first two children whose health and survival needed enormous attention throughout their lives. He and his wife worked hard and were healthy feeding themselves vegetables and roots and whatever they found edible even in skimpy amounts. They built their own one-room house, with slight furnishings they created from used wood with only a few available tools and minimal hardware. For years they were happily frugal, spending less than $1000/yr at the most and frequently under $500/yr. These years were important to his work.
He thereby emerged as the global leader and expert teacher on how people can “live better than ever in an age of less.” In the current situation, there is now an enormous need due to reckless finance, big banks and speculation that produced the 2007-9 collapse of the financial system.
Robbins also became an expert on how individuals thought of themselves categorized by six types. Some were just one type or another; some varying over time, etc. Robbins named the types Saver, Innocent, Performer, Sensualist, Vigilant, and Giver and describes the combinations of these categories, with specific individuals he has known, some he has had contacts with, and some well-known personalities in one field or another. He also shows the value of using these archetypes to help show how the reader can best deal or not deal with individuals. (See pp. 29-66).
Robbins advises how to deal with money on, pp. 67-90, and wraps everything up with more information on living the good life, pp. 93-239. A good buy for those wanting to live more sustainably on this Earth.
Alan F. Kay, Ph.D.
Author, Locating Consensus for Democracy and other books
Treasurer and Secretary, Ethical Markets Media (USA and Brazil)
10 Carrera Street, Saint Augustine, FL 32084
www.alanfkay.com and www.ethicalmarkets.com
i@alanfkay.com 904.826.0934