The Hamster's Treadmill

I love reading Time's Business Book Reviews. They're take on American business always offers a slant that gets me thinking or reacting in perplexed ways. Take this week's book reviews:

OverSuccess: Healing The American Obsession With Wealth, Fame, Power, and Perfection By Jim Rubens Greenleaf; 451 pages
The author's own brush with American urgency has soured him on the 24/7 work life: "The intention of this book is to free me and tens of millions like me from the hamster's treadmill," he says. Rubens ties mindless ambition in the U.S. to major depression, addiction, personal and public debt and even the popularity of American Idol. "Unless we change our nation's culture," he cautions, "we will die alone and unhappy with our basalt countertops, Sub-Zero wine storage and massive credit-card debt." Wait--is that bad?

Oh, that glib remark at the end! I know the author is trying to be facetious, but beneath the surface he and many, many more wouldn't find offense at that sad state of life.

But even if we're honest with ourselves, most of our time might be spent on and going after the "hamster's treadmill." How do we get off of it? Time in silence, a lack of television, reading the Bible, appropriate amounts of sleep, and the elusive not-caring-what-other-people-think-about-us. Any other suggestions?