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Affluenza

January 05, 2024

For diseases correlating with affluence, see Diseases of affluence.
For other uses, see Affluenza (disambiguation).

Affluenza is a pseudoscientific psychological malaise supposedly affecting wealthy people. It is a portmanteau of affluence and influenza, and is used most commonly by critics of consumerism. It is not a medically recognized disease.[1]

History edit

The word is thought to have been first used in 1954,[2] but was popularised in 1997 with a PBS documentary of the same name[3] and the subsequent book Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic (2001, revised in 2005, 2014). These works define affluenza as "a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more". A more informal definition of the term would describe it as "a quasi-illness caused by guilt for one's own socio-economic superiority".[4] The term "affluenza" has also been used to refer to an inability to understand the consequences of one's actions because of financial privilege.

The term "affluenza" was re-popularized in 2013 with the arrest of Ethan Couch, a wealthy Texas teen, for driving while intoxicated and killing four pedestrians and injuring several others. Testimony from a psychologist in court referred to Couch as having a case of affluenza, sparking a media frenzy and victim family outrage. The psychologist testified during the sentencing phase as a part of mitigation of penalty, not, as was reported, as a defence to the charge at trial.[citation needed]

Theory edit

In 2007, British psychologist Oliver James asserted that there was a correlation between the increasing occurrence of affluenza and the resulting increase in material inequality: the more unequal a society, the greater the unhappiness of its citizens.[5] Referring to Vance Packard's thesis The Hidden Persuaders on the manipulative methods used by the advertising industry, James related the stimulation of artificial needs to the rise in affluenza. To highlight the spread of affluenza in societies with varied levels of inequality, James interviewed people in several cities including Sydney, Singapore, Auckland, Moscow, Shanghai, Copenhagen and New York.

In 2008 James wrote that higher rates of mental disorders were the consequence of excessive wealth-seeking in consumerist nations.[6] In a graph created from multiple data sources, James plotted "Prevalence of any emotional distress" and "Income inequality", attempting to show that English-speaking nations have nearly twice as much emotional distress as mainland Europe and Japan: 21.6 percent vs 11.5 percent.[7] James defined affluenza as "placing a high value on money, possessions, appearances (physical and social) and fame", which was the rationale behind the increasing mental illness in English-speaking societies. He explained the greater incidence of affluenza as the result of 'selfish capitalism', the market liberal political governance found in English-speaking nations as compared to the less selfish capitalism pursued in mainland Europe. James asserted that societies can remove the negative consumerist effects by pursuing real needs over perceived wants, and by defining themselves as having value independent of their material possessions.

Clive Hamilton and Richard Denniss's book, Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough, poses the question: "If the economy has been doing so well, why are we not becoming happier?"[8]: vii  They argue that affluenza causes overconsumption, "luxury fever", consumer debt, overwork, waste, and harm to the environment. These pressures lead to "psychological disorders, alienation and distress",[8]: 179  causing people to "self-medicate with mood-altering drugs and excessive alcohol consumption".[8]: 180 

They note that a number of Australians have reacted by "downshifting"—they decided to "reduce their incomes and place family, friends and contentment above money in determining their life goals". Their critique leads them to identify the need for an "alternative political philosophy", and the book concludes with a "political manifesto for wellbeing".[9]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Ferguson, Christopher J. (14 December 2013). "Psychologist: "Affluenza" is Junk Science". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  2. ^ de Graaf, John (14 December 2013). . Time. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Escape from Affluenza", KCTS
  4. ^ Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic, John de Graaf, David Wann & Thomas H. Naylor, 2001 ISBN 1-57675-199-6
  5. ^ James, Oliver (2007). Affluenza: How to Be Successful and Stay Sane. Vermilion. ISBN 978-0-09-190011-3.
  6. ^ James, Oliver (2008). The Selfish Capitalist. Vermilion. ISBN 978-0-09-192381-5.
  7. ^ James, Oliver (2007). "Appendix 2: Emotional Distress and Inequality: Selfish vs Unselfish Capitalist Nations". Affluenza: How to be Successful and Stay Sane. London: Vermilion. p. 344. ISBN 978-0-09-190010-6. 1. The mean prevalence of emotional distress for the six English-speaking nations combined was 21.6%. The mean for the other nations, mainland Western Europe plus Japan, was 11.5%.
  8. ^ a b c Clive Hamilton; Richard Denniss (2005). Affluenza: When Too Much Is Never Enough. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1-74115-624-9.
  9. ^ "A Manifesto For Wellbeing". Wellbeingmanifesto.net. The Australia Institute. 7 May 2005. from the original on 7 May 2005. Retrieved 29 May 2018. (Archive is the same work, but on a different website)

Further reading edit

External links edit

 
Look up affluenza in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
  • "Affluenza". pbs.org.
  • Macquarie Dictionary Word of the Year Winners: Affluenza
  • Affluenza issues in the USA
  • Affluenza video 27 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  • A film clip "The Open Mind - Affluenza (1984)" is available for viewing at the Internet Archive

January 05, 2024
affluenza, diseases, correlating, with, affluence, diseases, affluence, other, uses, disambiguation, pseudoscientific, psychological, malaise, supposedly, affecting, wealthy, people, portmanteau, affluence, influenza, used, most, commonly, critics, consumerism. For diseases correlating with affluence see Diseases of affluence For other uses see Affluenza disambiguation Affluenza is a pseudoscientific psychological malaise supposedly affecting wealthy people It is a portmanteau of affluence and influenza and is used most commonly by critics of consumerism It is not a medically recognized disease 1 Contents 1 History 2 Theory 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory editThe word is thought to have been first used in 1954 2 but was popularised in 1997 with a PBS documentary of the same name 3 and the subsequent book Affluenza The All Consuming Epidemic 2001 revised in 2005 2014 These works define affluenza as a painful contagious socially transmitted condition of overload debt anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more A more informal definition of the term would describe it as a quasi illness caused by guilt for one s own socio economic superiority 4 The term affluenza has also been used to refer to an inability to understand the consequences of one s actions because of financial privilege The term affluenza was re popularized in 2013 with the arrest of Ethan Couch a wealthy Texas teen for driving while intoxicated and killing four pedestrians and injuring several others Testimony from a psychologist in court referred to Couch as having a case of affluenza sparking a media frenzy and victim family outrage The psychologist testified during the sentencing phase as a part of mitigation of penalty not as was reported as a defence to the charge at trial citation needed Theory editIn 2007 British psychologist Oliver James asserted that there was a correlation between the increasing occurrence of affluenza and the resulting increase in material inequality the more unequal a society the greater the unhappiness of its citizens 5 Referring to Vance Packard s thesis The Hidden Persuaders on the manipulative methods used by the advertising industry James related the stimulation of artificial needs to the rise in affluenza To highlight the spread of affluenza in societies with varied levels of inequality James interviewed people in several cities including Sydney Singapore Auckland Moscow Shanghai Copenhagen and New York In 2008 James wrote that higher rates of mental disorders were the consequence of excessive wealth seeking in consumerist nations 6 In a graph created from multiple data sources James plotted Prevalence of any emotional distress and Income inequality attempting to show that English speaking nations have nearly twice as much emotional distress as mainland Europe and Japan 21 6 percent vs 11 5 percent 7 James defined affluenza as placing a high value on money possessions appearances physical and social and fame which was the rationale behind the increasing mental illness in English speaking societies He explained the greater incidence of affluenza as the result of selfish capitalism the market liberal political governance found in English speaking nations as compared to the less selfish capitalism pursued in mainland Europe James asserted that societies can remove the negative consumerist effects by pursuing real needs over perceived wants and by defining themselves as having value independent of their material possessions Clive Hamilton and Richard Denniss s book Affluenza When Too Much is Never Enough poses the question If the economy has been doing so well why are we not becoming happier 8 vii They argue that affluenza causes overconsumption luxury fever consumer debt overwork waste and harm to the environment These pressures lead to psychological disorders alienation and distress 8 179 causing people to self medicate with mood altering drugs and excessive alcohol consumption 8 180 They note that a number of Australians have reacted by downshifting they decided to reduce their incomes and place family friends and contentment above money in determining their life goals Their critique leads them to identify the need for an alternative political philosophy and the book concludes with a political manifesto for wellbeing 9 See also editAffluenza film 2014 film by Kevin AschPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback Conspicuous consumption Concept in sociology and economy Diseases of affluence Health conditions thought to be a result of increasing wealth in society Escape from Affluenza 1998 filmPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback Lifestyle disease Diseases linked with the way people live their life People v Turner 2015 American criminal case Status Anxiety 2004 book by Alain de BottonReferences edit Ferguson Christopher J 14 December 2013 Psychologist Affluenza is Junk Science Time ISSN 0040 781X Retrieved 3 January 2022 de Graaf John 14 December 2013 Co Author of Affluenza I m Appalled by the Ethan Couch Decision Time Archived from the original on 31 December 2017 Retrieved 29 May 2018 Escape from Affluenza KCTS Affluenza The All Consuming Epidemic John de Graaf David Wann amp Thomas H Naylor 2001 ISBN 1 57675 199 6 James Oliver 2007 Affluenza How to Be Successful and Stay Sane Vermilion ISBN 978 0 09 190011 3 James Oliver 2008 The Selfish Capitalist Vermilion ISBN 978 0 09 192381 5 James Oliver 2007 Appendix 2 Emotional Distress and Inequality Selfish vs Unselfish Capitalist Nations Affluenza How to be Successful and Stay Sane London Vermilion p 344 ISBN 978 0 09 190010 6 1 The mean prevalence of emotional distress for the six English speaking nations combined was 21 6 The mean for the other nations mainland Western Europe plus Japan was 11 5 a b c Clive Hamilton Richard Denniss 2005 Affluenza When Too Much Is Never Enough Allen amp Unwin ISBN 978 1 74115 624 9 A Manifesto For Wellbeing Wellbeingmanifesto net The Australia Institute 7 May 2005 Archived from the original on 7 May 2005 Retrieved 29 May 2018 Archive is the same work but on a different website Further reading editThe Circle of Simplicity Cecile Andrews ISBN 0 06 092872 7 The Golden Ghetto The Psychology of Affluence Jessie H O Neill ISBN 978 0 9678554 0 0 Voluntary Simplicity Duane Elgin ISBN 0 688 12119 5 How Much Is Too Much Raising Likeable Responsible Respectful Children From Toddler to Teens In an Age of Overindulgence Clarke Jean Illsley Bredehoft David amp Dawson Connie ISBN 978 0 7382 1681 2External links edit nbsp Look up affluenza in Wiktionary the free dictionary Affluenza pbs org Macquarie Dictionary Word of the Year Winners Affluenza The Affluenza Project Affluenza issues in the USA Affluenza video Archived 27 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine A film clip The Open Mind Affluenza 1984 is available for viewing at the Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Affluenza amp oldid 1192897163, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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