GISAT 160 David Saunders
11/28/2012 Erwin Go
Affluenza
Samantha Rimkus

In today’s society, it is often hard to stop and realize how much we are addicted to consuming goods. The average person rarely will take into account this information. The movie Affluenza brilliantly describes this problem. It portrays the solutions we need to fix this problem. Yet Americans have done no change what so ever in there consumption habits. Americans have sadly become addicted to our modern world of over consumption. But is this life of extravagance worth living? The movie stresses that commercials, ads are the source of this problem. Everywhere we go, we find ads that make us psychologically dependent on not only technology but on obtain nicer things, all driven my commercialism and frankly our government. The worse part of the story is that these psychological mind conforming pressures are expressed to even the youngest of people. The young generation is exposed to constant pressures from the government to buy the coolest toys, or have the best clothes. Frankly, the generation uses these aspects as there self-esteem, a very unhealthy relationship with consumer goods. It has led teens to become so obsessed with their self-image that children and teenagers have become dependent on this relationship; no wonder teen depression and suicide is a common modern problem in America. This relationship increases a person’s anxiety, and decreases the amount of sleep a person will get. The worst part is that this relationship is not just in teenagers, but most of the entire population of America. What are the effects of this relationship with consumer goods on our country? For one, the movie indicates that it increases the ever so status dispute between upper class and lower class individuals. People who have more money can buy nicer things, while people with less money cannot. Third, it forces humans to alter their life styles dramatically. Technology and over consumption is controlling our lives, making our daily schedules the same every day. The movie states that