Topic: Affluenza
The movie we watched in class defined affluenza as being the epidemic of stress, overwork, and waste caused by a dogged pursuit of the American Dream. It also defined affluenza as an unsustainable addiction to economic growth.
As Americans, we always believe that if we had twice as much money as we do now that we’d be happier. When we’re sad, we use “retail therapy” to make us feel better. We believe that the fanciest cars and the biggest houses are what makes us happy, but this video shows that the people who have and use the least are often the happiest.
Modest lifestyles are becoming more and more popular, and the families in this movie live their lives with low levels of consumption. They reduce their waste by only using what they need, and they live by the motto “reduce, reuse, recycle.” By living a more frugal lifestyle, we use less. But living this lifestyle isn’t easy. It means giving up the luxuries in life and rationing what you choose to use.
I’ve learned ways that I can produce less waste and lower my consumption levels, but I don’t think I could live a lifestyle like the people in this video.
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