More: The Vanishing of Scale in an Over-the-Top Nation

Gone are the days of enjoying life's simple pleasures for pleasure's sake. Twenty-first-century Americans are on a mission to cram every second of their earthly existence with significant accomplishments and momentous events. Even the most mundane undertaking must be approached with zeal, gusto, and expertise, or so the media persuade us to believe.

Are we capable of doing anything casually anymore?

In this first book-length treatment of media's obsession with triviality, cultural critic Rona...