Introduction
Affluenza is the set of values, which increase the vulnerability of people towards different emotional distress. Affluenza involves giving high values to the acquisition of money and possessions. This paper provides an analysis of Affluenza, which has affected all western societies.
Discussion
The Affluenza virus has made the society more vulnerable to emotional distress than it was before. The virus affects the society by conflating what people want and what they need. In the developing countries of the world, the emotional distress of people has been increasing. There are different factors, which have contributed towards creating this inequality. One of these factors is the income inequality. The leading cause of inequality in developed nations is Selfish Capitalism. It suggests that in order to avoid emotional problems of the population, it is important to avoid capitalism (Graaf et al., 57).
Affluenza is the unhealthy connection of people with money. The obsession of people to earn more money in order to get more happiness has created anxiety in the society. The Affluenza virus also results in bankruptcy. Because of this problem, a number of other problems also arise. There are many people who believe that Affluenza is a virus, which prevails in the minds of rich people. However, it is a problem, which is common among people of all social classes (Graaf et al. 79). In the late 1990s, a documentary was released in the United States, which highlighted the patterns of excessive consumption in the United States. According to that documentary, Affluenza is a contagious disease and a condition of excessive debt in the society.
The luxury spending, in the United States, has been increasing with the passage of time. This trend has also been observed in other parts of the world. According to the studies conducted on the topic, the luxurious spending of people, in the United States, are growing rapidly. A large number of people who are engaged in the process of overspending belong to the younger generation (Graaf et al., 33).
Symptoms of Affluenza
There are different symptoms of Affluenza. These symptoms include worhaholism, chaos, depression, lack of motivation, and others. The stress is a significant factor, which leads towards the lack of motivation. When people are stressed, they feel frustrated. Eventually, their motivation to work is decreased. The symptoms of Affluenza can be observed throughout the western society. An important symptom of Affluenza is the pursuit of more and more money and resources (Lorenzi et al. 232).
The assumptions and perceptions of people about wealth are also the leading causes of Affluenza. The assumption of people that money can buy anything urges them to work solely to get more money. People, living in the western society, have started to believe that money can guarantee happiness. The dynamics of Affluenza are complex and harmful. People from different social and economic classes have started to believe and agree that money is the solution of their problems (Koplewicz et al., 1053).
The reexamination of people about their ways of life is also a symptom of Affluenza. When people are affected by this problem, they constantly think whether money is important to them or relationships. In such situations, they do not think twice when spending money. It is because they do not realize whether they actually need something or only desire it.
Affluenza creates many problems for people. This problem has a severe impact on family relationships as well. Although Affluenza urges people to engage in excessive consumption, it does not allow them to get full satisfaction. In western societies, people have excessive many to buy goods and services, yet, they are not happy.
The media has played an important role in the spread of Affluenza. The television and billboard advertisements urge people to buy or the use the product that is being marketed. Customers are bombarded with marketing information; therefore, it is difficult for them to ignore the advertisements. However, customers can administer their behavior in such a way that the harmful effects of Affluenza are minimized. For instance, they can compare the prices offered by different sellers and buy the one, which is offering maximum benefits (Fernández-Casado, Sánchez-Artigas and García-López 65).
The youth of America is largely affected by the Affluenza virus. The marketers are playing a prominent role in spreading Affluenza among young children. The younger generation tends to believe the information provided by marketers. The process of globalization has also affected the perceptions of people. Because of globalization, customers have been provided with increased opportunities to buy products. Furthermore, customers cannot only purchase local but also international brands. Globalization is reshaping the perception of younger children to reshape their values (Harmon 26).
The chronic stress is also a leading cause of Affluenza. The challenges caused by work and other conditions have created problems for working people. When people are unable to meet their challenges, they develop different negative behaviors. One of such behaviors involves engaging in excessive consumption. The excessive consumption habit of people is threatening the world resources.
Conclusion
In order to overcome the problem of Affluenza, it is important to create awareness among the public. People must be aware of the existence of this problem. Many people do not realize that they were suffering from Affluenza until they reach to the extreme stage. The media can contribute positively towards the prevention of this problem by promoting education and awareness.
Works Cited
Fernández-Casado, E, M Sánchez-Artigas, and P García-López, Affluenza: Towards Universal Churn Generation. IEEE, 2010 65
Graaf, John de, David Wann, and Thomas H Naylor. Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic (Bk Currents). Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2005. Web. 13 Oct. 2013.
Harmon, Mark D. “Religious Groups and ‘Affluenza’: Further Exploration of the TV-Materialism Link.” Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 22.1 (2010): pp. 1–26.
Koplewicz, Harold S, Anita Gurian, and Kimberly Williams. “The Era of Affluence and Its Discontents.” Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry 48.11 (2009): 1053–1055.
Lorenzi, Peter, Jason Q Zhang, and Roberto Friedmann. “Looking for Sin in All the Wrong Places: An Empirical Investigation of the Affluenza Construct.” Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management 11.3 (2010): 232–248
