"Affluenza"
a review
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
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Affluenza
Affluenza is the name given to the overcomsumption that's afflicted our society. PBS will air an hour long special entitled "Affluenza" on September 15th at 9pm / 8pm central. The program explores symptoms, causes and cures of excessive materialism.
The producers have chosen an apt analogy. Our desire for more things acts just like a disease. We 'catch' the sickness from those around us. The symptoms are minor at first, but steadily infect the patient. Finally the victim, crippled by the disease, suffers uncured until death.
The producers make a strong case that the spread of affluenza is not accidental. It's revealed that the average person will see over 1 million commercials by age 20. Ads targeted to kids total $1 Billion! Some well known merchants believe that 'children are a cash crop to be harvested'. Using experts to explain how we're sold on products, we're provided a unique understanding of how the 'good life' of the fifties became the 'goods life' today.
And what's caught in childhood grows when we become adults. Less than one in three pay off their credit card bills fully each month. Last year there were over 1 million bankruptcies. In 90% of divorce cases arguments about money play a prominent roll. Interviews with social scientists and pastors delve into the damage done to us and our families.
Host Scott Simon, of National Public Radio, leads us through a discussion of the costs of affluenza. Some like over-work and stress hit us personally today. Others, like the cost to the environment, will effect the future quality of life for the world.
Fortunately, affluenza has a cure. And unlike other diseases it won't take a huge outlay to find a cure. The film explores what some groups are doing to promote a cure and how individuals can immunize themselves from future infection.
Perhaps you've wondered why you have more bills than paycheck. Or why it takes two incomes to support a family today. Then you won't want to miss 'Affluenza'. It's a one hour 'inoculation' that you can't afford to miss. And unlike most others, this 'shot' doesn't hurt at all. In fact, it's really quite entertaining.
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