Humanity : Over (Affluenza (Virus of Desire))

Affluenza

   

Virus of Desire

The term affluenza is derived from two words: 

               i.  affluent  (wealthy, rich, comfortable)

    ii.  influenza (contagious viral)

It is like a virus spreading until it consumes its host, the social virus affluenza infects millions of people, consuming their lives with the shameless pursuit of material possessions.

Affluenza?

Affluenza is the term used to explain 
a. the unique dysfunction problems that occur 
b. when individuals life main interest  are  money, wealth, and material possession 
c. at the expense of self-esteem and contentment. 

It is an ailment of the wealthy, a "disorder" among parents and children across all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Affluenza has reached epidemic proportions and is detrimental to our children's social and emotional development. Contemporary affluenza researchers contend that if we do not begin to reject the culture's unnecessary demands to work harder, spend more, and buy more, it will be detrimental to the future.

Affluenza has permeates into Western society but is spreading to other nations. People are  competing  with each other for : 
        a. who has the largest house, 
        b. fanciest car, and 
        c. most exotic vacation spot—
        d. even the cutest dog! 
They envy the notoriety, fame and fortune of public figures, especially celebrities.

This social disease particularly affects children, young adults of all races and continents. Research by American Demographics found that among 
i.   18- to 34-year-olds (children of Baby Boomers and Generation X), 
ii.  23 percent of men and 26 percent of women confessed to “always or frequently”                   spying on their neighbors’ goods. 
iii. Sixty percent of the same age group confirmed they were jealous of “celebrities or                      public figures,” whose lifestyles are glamorized by television shows. Not surprisingly,                         money  is the item most coveted among this age group.

Our society is suffering from an ever-increasing epidemic, caused by an addiction to the consumption of products, food, and resources. 
Symptoms may include stress, burnout, a sense of entitlement, a lack of fulfillment, and a depletion of resources. 
Appropriately coined "affluenza," the disease is defined as 
i. a "socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste, 
ii. as a result from the  pursuit for more." 
iii.  Although it's not your typical virus, there's no doubt that it may be contagious.

We have developed into a society of insatiable consumers, obsessed with having it all. Shopping is a top favorite pastime, and the online marketplaces provide the opportunity to do shopping all around the clock. With technologies, improving at record speeds, waste has become the norm, as it often costs more to get a repair than to buy the newest model. As we're busy searching for the next best thing, advertisers and manufacturers see us as victims, promoting the idea that purchasing products will fulfill an array of desires such as happiness, success, acceptance, status, security, and power.

History

Silent Generations

One Decade ago, affluenza was virtually unknown. During World War I and the Great Depression, people had little, and contented with what they had. The “Greatest Generation” worked hard, saved money, and bought only what they could afford, usually with cash. Times were hard, so thrift and frugality were the order of the day. As the saying went, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

After World War II, America entered an age of prosperity and companies began employing aggressive tactics to attract new customers. The concept of “targeted advertising” sprang to life, companies had bombarded clearly defined age demographic segments with carefully tailored advertisements, especially targeting teenagers and young adults. The emergence of television as the major media bolstered advertising effectiveness and allowed companies to reach multiple millions of people simultaneously with each commercial.

Boomer

Meanwhile, the Greatest Generation gave birth to “Baby Boomers.” Parents who had suffered hardships during the Depression wanted easier lives for their children. In their desire to give their sons and daughters a better life, parents showered them with possessions. This unintentionally led to a culture of fulfillment as well as an insatiable desire to attain more “stuff.”

As Baby Boomers matured, they too sought to give their children an easier life—and so the cycle continued throughout the decades, with each successive generation feeling entitled to the best things in life, regardless of whether they could afford it.

Added to these factors was the longest period of unparalleled prosperity in modern history. Successive generations born after World War II had never known hardship. They had never known anything other than good times and instant gratification. The standard of living in Western countries rose to heights never before experienced.

Gen-X

Relentless advertising, combined with prosperity and permissive parenting, gave rise to generations accustomed to getting whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted—a culture obsessed with what others had. It also produced a set of values that deemed material possessions and status as more important than character. Thriftiness, hard work, integrity, fiscal responsibility, and other similar values were abandoned. Spurred on by advertising, celebrities, game shows, music videos, reality television, and the media at large, many became infected with the desire to obtain.

Culture of Greed

By the 21st century, the affluenza virus spread even further. For example, in 2010, the total amount of consumer debt in the U.S. was nearly $2.4 trillion, or $7,800 per American, according to Economy Watch. The culture of “buy now and forget about tomorrow” was well entrenched.

Even the federal government has been infected. America’s national debt is nearly $17 trillion, equating to about $54,000 per citizen. The hope of ever repaying it is long gone, yet the government continues to overspend, leaving the burden to future generations.

The situation throughout other Western nations is similar: consumers, businesses and governments are loaded with compounding levels of debt.

The mood of excess is everywhere. In the book Stop Me Because I Can’t Stop Myself, a woman described how she shopped online six to eight hours a day and ended up $80,000 in debt. She eventually lost her job, got divorced and, finally in desperation, checked herself into a psychiatric institution after admitting, “Shopping ruined my family.”

This lady is not alone in her plight—the motto “shop till you drop” is a mantra for our time.

The extravagance phenomenon even extends to basics such as food. For example, Americans buy much more food than they consume. Whatever is not used is simply thrown away, wasted. According to Reuters, each American throws away about 400 pounds of food per year. The United States Environmental Protection Agency reported that in 2010, 33 million tons of food waste ended up in landfills.

What are the symptoms of affluenza?

 In individuals, symptoms of affluenza can include:

·            workaholism;

·            an addiction to chaos;

·            low self-esteem;

·            depression;

·            a loss of future motivation;

·            an inability to delay gratification or tolerate frustration; a false sense of entitlement.

Causes of affluenza

The assumption that money can, should and does buy happiness – A dream. We have developed the false sense of happiness as well as an inability to delay our self-gratification, which is characteristic of affluenza.

Far from guaranteeing happiness, wealth or the single-minded pursuit of it can destroy happiness, or -- at the least – explode the existing problems. The psychological dynamics of affluenza are more complex, and more harmful, than one popularized definition of affluenza as merely "a rich person's disease." People across all socio-economic levels are trance  into the overriding value within our culture : that money solves all problems, thus denial of money-related difficulties is supported by society. Many sufferers of affluenza need to seek help.

How does affluenza happen?

1.  Parents

Affluenza often starts in families with well-meaning parents who want to give their children every advantage, but ends with the unintended effect of children believing that what they have is more important than who they are. Parents today are working harder and earning more money than ever before, and they can afford to pamper and indulge their children more than any previous generation.

2. Media

Simultaneously, peers and media marketing cultivate children's material interests and, by middle school, their desire for extraneous possessions begins to accelerate rapidly. Current annual spending trends are soaring, with children between the ages of 8 and 12 spending 19 billion dollars annually and teens' annual consumption is reaching 95 billion dollars. The majority of these purchases are clothing, video games, and cd. Children are finely attuned to each other's acquisitions of Game Boys, Treos, and iPods. Considering this amount of consumption, it becomes quite challenging to teach the difference between wants and needs; for some children there is literally nothing they need that they don't already have. In addition, having too many options at their disposal makes it easy to switch interests and goals when the going gets tough.

 The impact of affluenza on family life

Evidence supports the belief that money does not equate happiness. Thus it's not surprising that a survey of 1,000 American teens found that the higher the parents' socioeconomic status, the lower the reported parent contact per week. For some parents, generosity with things replaces generosity with time and can assuage their feelings of guilt.

The emphasis on acquisition of material goods can result in the following:

•  Inability to delay self-fulfillment or tolerate frustration
•  Difficulty maintaining interest in anything requiring effort
•  False sense of self gratification
•  Expectation of material goods without responsibility
•  Loss of future motivation
•  Life activities don't seem very real and nothing matters much
•  Low self-esteem, self-worth, and loss of self confidence
•  Approval dependent on possessions and status rather than on personal values
•  Preoccupation with externals and habituation for more material goods
•  Difficulty believing people like them for themselves rather than for possessions and status
•  Inability to trust prevents true friendships
•  Emotional energy becomes invested in material gains and sensitivity toward others declines

As parents are working harder and longer there is a decline in old- fashioned family togetherness, such as talking during mealtimes, with the result that kids miss stabilizing and  molding their character-shaping experiences. Many junior high school students are left alone with minimal supervision, chores, or household responsibilities and electronic sources become their companions and sources of information and guidance.

What about a treatment and cure?

Affluenza can be successfully treated. The most important step is the first one --      

a.  to bring the condition out of hiding, 

b.  to name it, 

c. to de-mystify it. 

With insight, we can begin to create more balanced expectations and employ money in more appropriate ways. The process involves awareness, education and change. With personal insight into the potentially crippling effects that money, or its blind pursuit, can have on every aspect of our lives -- professionally and personally.

Overconsumption of products, food, and resources might be the most tangible manifestations of affluenza, but the "more is better" mentality is far more insidious.

v     What are you doing at this moment?

v  Are you only reading this sentence, or are you checking email, texting, listening to music, or eating at the same time?

We have become over-consumers of time itself, multitasking during every waking minute, leading to stress, distraction, or even boredom when we're 'forced' to focus on a single task. Even in social settings, rather than giving our full attention to others physically present, we periodically shift our attention to social media on our mobile devices, being hyper-vigilant as to what is taking place elsewhere.

i.              Do we really need all this stuff?

ii.            Why are we eating so much?

iii.           Why can't we focus on what's happening right now? 

     The symptoms and effects of affluenza are plentiful, but there is good news -- relief is possible, and it can be put into action right away. Rather than consuming on an autopilot fast-track, we need to slow down, stop and think -- we need to consume mindfully.

If you're ready to reflect on your own habits, here are some tips to help you make the conscious shift from "more is better" to "less is more:"

·      Detachment from the urge to keep up with the Getty’s.

 Several families have backed away from these modern societal trends, shunning video games, excess consumption and exclusivity linked to high-income people.

·      End the cycle of buy-discard-repeat:

Impulsive shopping feeds our ingrained expectations of instant gratification.  Before buying, nudge yourself if you really want it, and if you really need it. Let some time pass after the initial urge, and ask yourself again. If you still are interested in buying, chances are that when you do, you will enjoy your purchase much more.

·         Respect for money earned:

 A healthy respect for money and hard work, and an  awareness that pursuing an  engaging occupation and achieving one’s goals are vital to well-being.

·         Reduce your clutter:

Begin with your work space. What can you eliminate from your desktop or your drawers? Move into other areas of your home, recycling or up-cycling possessions    that you no longer need. The physical act of weeding out will  begin  to translate into a habit.

            ·       Choose your food mindfully:

Look deeply at your cravings. When you hear yourself say "I want this," ask yourself if you really do. If the answer is yes, transition from desire and reflect on the food. Is it the best choice for you? For the health of our planet? When you indulge, try doing so in moderation. Know the source of what you are putting into your body, and feel good when you nourish yourself with food that was cultivated with sustainable practices.

·      ·When you eat, only eat:

 You may not be able to do so at all or any of your meals right away, but try it on a  small scale with a snack. Rather than sitting at your desk, snacking while you send emails or do your work, turn off the computer screen and take the time to truly enjoy  what you are eating.

·         Learn to disengage digitally:

Switch the gaze from your screen and offer your full attention to those that are physically present -- be it a friend, family member, coworker, or cashier. You will find that people really appreciate your true presence!

·         Stopping the cycle of affluenza

Families can begin immediately to decrease the influences of affluenza. First be aware that excessive overindulgence is as bad as feeding children candy every day. Following are some pointers:

·         Strong family role models, particularly grandparents.

Regular contact with extended family tended to reinforce the value systems of earlier generations. A commitment to family time — meals together, house and yard work, school assignments, or vacations, present an opportunity to nourish a child’s identity and pass along values. Children of all ages value time; even a short time with parents is valued more than gifts.

·            Show kids; don't just tell them.

It is important to be a role model, as kids are quick to pick up on their parents' attitude about money. Discuss financial concepts even if the children seem too young to understand the finer points. By the time they reach junior high they can grasp practical ideas about money such as such as earning, budgeting, and spending.

·         Help children distinguish between wants and needs.

Have them write wish lists that prioritize what they want, making it clear that they will not get everything. Take advantage of special occasions for indulgences.

·         Teach the connection between effort and reward.

Encourage children to set goals and manage their resources to meet those goals. As they grow older, help them find ways to earn money and pay (at least in part) for their own stuff. When possessions are easily attained and replaced, they have little value.

The role of a prosperous family business in instilling a work ethic in younger generations, and in keeping those young people close to home.

·         Let them make their own mistakes.

Don't step in quickly to rescue children when they encounter difficulty or frustration. Allow them to experience the consequences of their decisions, even if they're negative. Children need to develop their own problem solving strategies to gain a sense of mastery. This does not mean letting them struggle; be sure the issue is attainable and appropriate for their age, be sympathetic, supportive, and offer suggestions to let them develop own resources.

·    Base the amount of after-school time spent in structured experiences on each child's personality.

Some benefit from several activities, some from just a few. All kids need some down time to reflect, experiment and explore ideas.

A willingness to let children find their own way, take responsibility, make their own choices regarding education and career, and learn life’s sometimes painful lessons.

In conclusion,

a.    Affluenza is a condition in which an individual lives in delusion of attainable and undefined levels of achievement.

b.    Running themselves into debt and frustration simply to maintain a lifestyle that they cannot be content with.

c.    Lose resourcefulness and common sense with spending.

d.    Creates a psychological mind-set that convinces a person that they are free from responsibility and accountability and creates a wasteful attitude at a societal level.

e.    Causes people to work hard and neglect important aspects of their physical and psychological well-being under the motivation of perceived future happiness.

f.    It creates a myriad of psychological problems through stress, depression, anxiety and other disorders.

g.    It is a psychological mindset which works at a societal level.

h.  It demands that individuals strive after and live for an unreachable level of success, and it comes at the compromise of their quality of life.

This social “virus,” 

first described in America, 

is spreading throughout the prosperous 

nations of the West and 

is mutating into a terminal illness 

throughout the world.

Extracts and excerpt taken with thanks from :

http://bethanytreloar.blogspot.com/2007/10/affluenza.html

http://www.theaffluenzaproject.com/home/affluenza/

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/12/health/affluenza-youth/

http://realtruth.org/articles/090806-004-middle.html

http://people.rit.edu/cakgss/affluenza

 http://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/12/health/affluenza-youth/index.html?hpt=hp_c5

Lilian Cheung, D.Sc., R.D