De Graaf, Wann and Naylor's "Affluenza"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that "affluenza" is a social problem, which emerged from the success of capitalism and modernism in America. The author points out that the book states that, in America, a strong and good family relationship is determined through the family's capability to spend money, which the family members think is beneficial to their relationship. The paper states "affluenza" creates a blatant disregard for the physical environment because the lifestyle of the affluent American produces more waste than ever in the history of human society by the proliferation of plastic-made, particularly disposable, other non-biodegradable materials and hazardous waste materials.

From the Paper:

"Over-consumption was the American psyche that reflected how people considered excessive consumption as the immediate 'solution' in dealing with the stress that come with everyday life. Ironically, what the authors imparted in the book was that Americans worked very hard in order to financially support the lifestyle that they cannot maintain, much less enjoy (40). This realization showed that Americans were not living life as they aspired it to be: the comfort available to them only caused stress and bankruptcy. Bankruptcy resulted from over-spending and not being able to pay for these excessive purchases, while stress was caused by the need to alleviate one's sudden feelings of emotional instability and the pressure to keep up with other people's apparent ascent towards 'affluence'."

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