Is Affluenza Real?

America is currently suffering from a social disease of rampant materialism known as Affluenza. This term, which has been attributed multiple definitions, was first and most accurately defined in the 1997 book Affluenza: The All-American Consuming Epidemic where it is defined as a “condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.” Too many Americans today are putting aside their own health and spiritual bonds as the means to happiness and replacing them with the “material rewards of work well done” . Affluenza, by this definition, is in fact real and affecting Americans today.

Affluenza, though being coined in 1997, was first introduced (with a alternate definition) to mainstream media largely by a controversial drunk driving case last year. In December 2013, Teenager Ethan Couch, while driving a truck with a blood alcohol level of three times the legal limit, killed four pedestrians and injured eleven more. Couch, who did not serve jail time for this horrible incident, was merely placed on probation after his attorney successfully argued that the boy suffered from Affluenza (defined as the inability to understand consequences of actions because of financial privilege). The Teen’s attorneys hired a psychologist, G. Dick Miller, who testified to the court, claiming that Mr. Couch’s actions were a result of his Affluenza, which he developed due to his parents teaching him that wealth buys privilege. Ethan Couch does not suffer from a disease; he is a result of terrible parenting. Miller’s definition of Affluenza is a constructed excuse that helped a privileged teen avoid jail time simply because his father is a millionaire and was able to hire an expert defense team. This alternate idea of Affluenza is not at all a real disease. Ethan Couch’s actions are inexcusable but with a huge sum of money to pay for expert lawyers, and their claim to his affection of a fictitious disease, he was able to get away with murder.

Affluenza, defined as a “condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more” is attributable to a much too massive population of the American people. Many Americans are trapped in a loop of daily suffering through a job they don’t enjoy and crawling towards their monthly paycheck to finance the things they buy but don’t need. This awful cycle is spawned by the permeating American belief that material processions improve individual’s personal and social well-being. People feel the need to project an image of wealth; even if requires spending money they don’t have. Although this belief is popular, it has been proven to be false by multiple studies, which show that, compared to non-materialists, materialists actually have lower social and personal well-being. In fact, materialistic habits such as compulsive and impulsive spending result in the opposite of the desired happiness, actually leading to increased debt, decreased savings, depression, social anxiety, and decreased subjective well being.

The biggest problem American faces is it’s citizens habit of neglecting the aspects of life which provide true happiness and, instead, indulging themselves with a momentary pleasure. Shopping during one’s free time as opposed to spending time with loved ones or eating fast food rather than exercising. The latters would provide prolonged happiness and well-being but the American people would much rather pursue instant gratification that comes with such activities as food, sex, shopping and TV. This is a dangerous way to live as it begins a cycle that is hard to stop. Indulging in shopping, eating unhealthily, and extended media viewing provide short-term pleasure but lead to poverty, obesity, depression, and weakened emotional bonds. Instead of trying to reverse these effects, most continue to partake in the source, seeking their short moments of euphoria before returning to their personal dreaded cycle.

Not only do Americans have the issue of losing sight of what matters in their life, even more also possess an inflated idea of what they “need” to live comfortably versus what thy want. Since World War II, the median home size in the U.S has more than tripled in size from 750 square feet to 2300. Even with all this extra space, the storage business has exploded into a $24 billion industry, surpassing the American music industry. In addition to this, there are more cars in the U.S than drivers, “The more we can imagine having, the more we believe we need.”

America has lost sight of the true source of happiness. Too many people ignore their family, their bonds, their passions, and their dreams, and instead seek instant gratification from minute pleasures. This mentality has blended the line between “needs” and “wants” causing a rise in debt, depression, poor social bonds, and overall unhappiness. Instead of recognizing these flaws and striving to improve them, most return to the source of their despair. Overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the pursuit of more is overwhelming America. Affluenza is a real disease and it has it’s firm, unrelenting grip on the United States.