All Things Are Too Small: Essays in Praise of Excess By Becca Rothfeld

In her provocative debut collection, Becca Rothfeld challenges the prevailing cultural norms of balance and restraint, advocating instead for embracing excess, abandon, and disproportion. Through a series of incisive essays, Rothfeld critiques the contemporary obsession with minimalism and mindfulness, arguing that our relentless pursuit of tidiness and equilibrium has left us spiritually impoverished.

Rothfeld examines various facets of modern life where the quest for balance has led to a flattening of experience. From the trend of decluttering our homes with Marie Kondo to the puritanical approach to sex that drains it of its unpredictability and allure, Rothfeld exposes how our cultural fixation on equilibrium stifles creativity, passion, and genuine connection.

Drawing on examples from literature, art, and everyday life, Rothfeld makes a compelling case for embracing imbalance, obsession, and ravishment as essential elements of the human experience. She argues that our relentless pursuit of equality and democracy in all aspects of culture and aesthetics has resulted in a sanitized, homogenized world devoid of vitality and excitement.

With her trademark wit and insight, Rothfeld challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions about what constitutes a fulfilling life. "All Things Are Too Small" is a rallying cry for embracing the messiness and complexity of existence, urging us to reclaim our capacity for wild experimentation, exuberance, and unbridled passion in all areas of our lives. 📚❤️