Jan 6, 20203 min read

Affluenza- Are we victims of it?

Updated: Jul 11, 2023

Affluenza. A documentary that made me change my general view of documentaries being a certain way. What was that view? Well, I thought that documentaries are filled with facts that are presented in a very “here are the facts” kind of way and very rarely do they show the facts through a story or something funny. This documentary was one of those rare documentaries.

One could realize it was different from its opening scene itself which was a small skit of a kind which involved over-exaggerated behavior to introduce the topic in a comical manner. For me, this really made a good first impression. Even though, I knew about the topic and its implications, this documentary helped me understand the impact or influence it had on the American market.

After the opening scene, they dive into the documentary by having clips of the American market being shown while the situation was being described. This was accompanied with some “experts” being asked their view on the issue. What I understood from this is that Affluenza is an unhappy feeling caused due to debt, anxiety, overspending, etc. which is the result of the wish to want more which the motive of consumerism and materialism.

Then, it moves on to tell us some symptoms of it and then explained each in context to the American market. They included swollen expectations, shopping fever, hyper commercialism, rash of bankruptcies, fractured families, social scars, global infection, etc.

It told us that people spent more time shopping than spending time with their children, had a sense of being on a constant treadmill which led to more stress than happiness, ads tell us to satisfy our non-material needs through material items and that we will be incomplete without the products and services, children were and are the fastest growing consumer groups, everyone’s in home but are connected to something outside the home, etc.

This really made me think as it is true and definitely was something I am also a victim of and will be, in the future too even after being aware of the facts. The documentary then moves on to tell me about some solutions like the T.V. turnoff week, Buy Nothing Day, concept of uncommercials, etc. that were started then.

So, this documentary was really wholesome, in the sense, that it had an introduction, told us about the symptoms, effects and ended with some solutions that had been started to be put in place in that era.

Did it have an impact on me? Definitely. Was it positive or negative? Both. Positive in the sense that I got to learn a new aspect of consumerism and materialism and the role advertisement play in them. Negative in the sense that it made me realize how I’ve myself been a victim of this and that advertisements are quite unethical at times. But the term ‘negative’ is too harsh, I realized the existence of these things would be a better way of putting it.

Therefore, I would like to end by saying again that it was quite a wholesome documentary that could inspire people to delve deeper into the topic if they wished to.

What is your take on consumerism and materialism? Please feel free to share your thoughts to me in the comment section below. Also, if you liked this blog or related to it in any manner, please don’t forget to like, comment, share it with your family and friends and for further blog updates follow me on my Instagram handle https://www.instagram.com/helzeeblog/ and also on WordPress. See you next time! Till then, always remember, Be brave. Be strong. Be great. ♥