Are you suffering from AFFLUENZA?

AFFLUENZA, a modern-day epidemic. 

Affluenza: How to be successful and stay; a review of Oliver James's top-selling book

In his 1997 book Britain on the Couch, Oliver James asserted that "advanced capitalism makes money out of misery and dissatisfaction, as if it were encouraging us to fill up the psychic void with material goods". In this book, he explores the idea further, and it's terrific. A lot of readers, wanting to put their finger on why the affluent world they live in makes them so uneasy, will want to cheer. Here he is saying, loud and clear, that capitalism is bad for your mental health. And then he tells us why this is the case, and what we can do about it.

"My focus," explains James, "is on why we are so fucked up, not with dangling a false promise of the possibility of happiness." He's right - he doesn't offer false promises. By the time you've finished this book, you, too, might be feeling pretty pessimistic. As if we weren't already - as James points out, almost a quarter of Britons suffer "emotional distress". "Cards on the table," he says, "I contend that most emotional distress is best understood as a rational response to sick societies."

So why are we, in James's words, so fucked up? It's because of what James calls Selfish Capitalism, or, more catchily, "Affluenza", a virus-like condition that spreads through affluent countries. In these countries, notably English-speaking ones, people define themselves by how much money they make. They are also ruled by superficial values - how attractive they look, how famous they are, how much they are able to show off. As the sociologist Erich Fromm would have put it, we have moved from a state of "being" to a state of "having". Now we are obsessed with what other people think of us, and we've lost touch with our own feelings.

It's a wonderfully clear and cogent thesis. Affluenza, as defined by James, is clearly recognizable as our way of life. It spreads because it feeds on itself; when you try to make yourself feel better by buying a car, or bulking up in the gym, or spraying on a fake tan, or having a facelift, you actually make yourself feel worse, which makes you want to buy more things. As James points out, the virus has spread to television - "most programs," he says, "are now barely concealed advertisements for classes of product" - and education. James sees modern education as "little better than a systematic method for spreading the virus".

He travels the world, interviewing rich, unhappy people. There is Sam, a New York billionaire who lives alone in a vast apartment. Sam was addicted to heroin and now seems to be addicted to casual sex with young girls. He has, we are shown, pursued the goals of affluenza to their ultimate point. He can have anything he wants, but nothing satisfies him. James also meets the trophy wife of another fabulously rich man - she is addicted to shopping and cocaine, and he is often away from home. Their relationship is based on mutual contempt: she spends his money with vengeful spite; he pays her back with coldness and abuse.

Well, he's convinced me. So, what can be done to prevent affluenza from invading our lives?

The Solution to Affluenza

According to James, the antidote is simple: look inward, not outward. Don't be a sheep. Try to be "beautiful" rather than "attractive". Embrace the family. Don't see life as a competition. Don't watch too much TV. Simple, perhaps. But will it be enough? Maybe too vague?

Let's break it down into more "tangible" and "doable" steps:

Wikipedia defines affluenza as:

1.    A painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more;

2.    The bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to “keep up with the Joneses”.

So if you find yourself trapped in a state of desperately desiring that shiny new SUV, imagining how it will change your life, propel you to new career heights and bag you the perfect boyfriend, here are a few tips to help you overcome the dreaded affluenza bug.

·         Tip #1 - Use what you have. Take a closer look at all you have already accumulated. There is still life in that old table. There are still good times to be had in last-year’s sundresses. Mining your own treasures and breathing new life into your existing possessions can provide immense gratification.

·         Tip #2 - Give it a year, or a season. Buying the latest fashions or technological innovation at the top of the market is for suckers. Late-adopters fork out less cash and benefit from more reliable versions. Let other people work out the kinks.

·         Tip #3 - Get one, give one. It’s all about balance. If you must buy something new, make space for it in your life by giving up something old. There will always be people who have more than you and there will always be people with less. Many people would love what you have. As you bring new items into your home, donate your old ones to Goodwill in equal measure.

·         Tip #4 – Ye olde savings jar. Try this for a month or two: every time you are tempted to make a new purchase on something you suspect you don’t really need, but dearly want, take the cash and stash it in an envelope, jar, or money market account. Tell yourself that at the end of the month, if you still need the item, then you can buy it. You may be shocked when you realize how so many magazines, pairs of shoes, or dinners-out can quickly add up to the price of a Caribbean holiday.

·         Tip # 5 – Your home is an evolution. Do you find yourself looking around your rooms or garden, seeing only what needs to be bought, rather than congratulating yourself on what you’ve already achieved? When you move into a new space, it’s normal to want it to be perfectly furnished and decorated immediately. But the beauty of a home is that it is a reflection of your own evolution. Refining and building over time is a more natural and harmonious way to live.

·         Tip #6 - Don’t look fabulous, BE fabulous. No amount of expensive highlights or Louboutin heels can compensate for a bad attitude or an unhealthy lifestyle. A well-rested forehead is infinitely cheaper and more attractive than one filled with Botox. Bright eyes, glowing skin and a genuine smile trump expensive outfits every time.

·         Tip #7 – Wear your clothes, don’t let them wear you. A plain sweater and jeans from the Gap will do more to provide a backdrop for your beauty than expensive jewellery or a boldly emblazoned logo that commands all the attention. Would you rather have someone say, “wow, you look great” or “wow, that’s a great pair of shoes”? Take your pick.

·         Tip #8 – You are not what you drive. Yes, it’s lovely to enjoy a smooth ride in an elegant car now and then, but ultimately, it’s just transportation. Do not rely on your car to make a statement as to who you are. Not everyone will translate a message you might like. Save the drive for essential trips and get your family riding bikes and walking. Dispositions will magically improve without the opportunity for backseat arguments.

·         Tip #9 – Understand diminishing utility. When you’re really hungry, a carrot tastes much sweeter. When you haven’t had a vacation in years, a weekend at the lake feels amazing. The more you consume, the less satisfaction the next bit of consumption will give you. Take a break from accumulating for a while, so that when you do buy yourself a treat, the enjoyment will be much richer.

·         Tip #10 – Take pleasure in the state of desire. If you had everything you could possibly want, where would all that energy go? Would you look for new things to want? Or would you become restless without having anything to aspire to? By racing to quickly attain the things you want, you miss out on the excitement of desiring and earning your achievements over time.