Affluenza: An American Epidemic Essay -- essays research papers fc

Affluenza is an epidemic which effect millions of people in the United States. Until this century 20th, to consume was considered a no-account thing says Jeremy Rifkin an expert on affluenza ( Gross ). The victims of affluenza are consumers who work want hours at a job they hate so they can demoralise things which they dont need ( Fight Club ). Like AIDS, affluenza has break quickly throughout the United States showing no prejudice of race, raise or color. However, unlike AIDS, affluenza is a compulsive addiction to shopping, which can be cured by spending less time consuming and much than time enjoying life.As the majority of parents work longer hours then new(prenominal)wise parents did in the past to support their families, children are left at crustal plate under the supervision of a television set. The television set eternally teaches children how to be good consumers. Advertisements which appear on television are knowing to make children feel unloved by their moth ers and fathers if they dont subvert them the newest toy, or take them to the most exciting amusement park. Before the duration affluenza a child would be considered fortunate if he or she had a bike to ride or a doll to play with. Today, children acquit their parents to buy them expensive toys because advertising companies give children the idea that deserve it.Cote scalawag 2As children grow into teenagers, they begin to consume more and more and refuse to accept any boundaries on material or fleshly things ( Gabrels ). Through advertising, Corporations dictate what type of clothing teens should wear, what type of music teens should try to, and how teens should act. The desire to buy products which are advertised to them is so strong that few teenagers become depressed and disturbed when they dont have funds to buy as many material possessions as their peers. Many other teens sacrifice their education by getting a part-time so they can spend more money on their growing add iction.Teenagers optimistically look forward to their adult years with ambitious dreams. To their surprise, the dreams of being complete and famous which were offered to them on every commercial break come crashing stack as they become adults. If the gap between ... ...ts and consumerism will change the family ideals forever. Cote foliate 4Works CitedFight Club. Dir. David Fincher. Perf. Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. 20th Century Fox, 1999.Gabrels, Sara Terry. The cloggy Questions Multiply. Christian Science Monitor 12 Sept. 1997 electronic Source, Ebscohost 27 June 2000.Gerlat, Allan. A Bad Case Of Affluenza. Waste News 22 Sept. 1997 electronic Source, Ebscohost 28 June 2000.Gross, Linda. Videos. rev. of Affluenza by Scott Simon. Sierra Nov/Dec 1997 Electronic Source, Ebscohost 27 June 2000.The Affluenza epidemic. World Press Review. April 1999 Electronic Source, Ebscohost 27 June 2000.Willis, Monica Michael. Material Boys & Girls. Country Living. April 2000 Electronic Source, Ebscohost 28 June 2000.