Family Activity: Midterm Exam Questions & Lecture Notes

FAMILY ACTIVITY: MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS: I want each of the families to brainstorm some short-answer questions for our upcoming midterm exam on Tuesday, 3/18. More specifically, I want each family to propose THREE such questions from anything that has been covered in class lecture since the beginning of the semester and xerox handouts I used to supplement those lectures. In making up questions, do NOT make up questions from the book, Affluenza, which I did not have a chance to also cover in class, nor do you need to make up questions about the video program -- we already have two of those. Also, steer clear of questions about specific statistics, unless it was a statistic I emphasized in class and perhaps wrote on the board. I will give the families some time on Tuesday (3/11) to come to some consensus about which three questions you will propose. A family spokesperson will then be called upon to present those questions (AND ANSWERS) on Thursday (3/13) when we'll review for the midterm. I will try to accept at least one question from each family. For each additional question I accept, that family will earn a bonus point, so if you make three good questions which I accept you can earn up to two bonus points for this activity. All participating family members will earn at least 5 points for this activity.

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Given the fact that I did not make as much progress in my commentary on Affluenza as I had hoped on Thursday, 3/6, I am going to post some lecture notes to try to catch up. You need to either write out or print out these notes and study them for the midterm. You can also make questions based on them. Even though I am doing this, I am not sure we will make it to the end of Affluenza by next Thursday. Nonetheless, in your reading you should finish the book by the end of next week, if you haven't already.

Chapter 11: Resource Exhaustion

(I had gotten into this chapter a bit, so let me just pick up where I left off in my notes.)

C. In the context of the story about a backpack trip on Vancouver Island, an important point is made, that: "You don't need as much stuff when you genuinely appreciate the value of what's already here." (p. 92)

D. Out of Mind (this section should really be titled, Out of Sight, Out of Mind)

1. Most of us are oblivious to the environmental impacts of production processes and what happens when we throw stuff away (like computers, p. 93) Or, the real costs of cars, listed on p. 95.

E. The fact is, if everyone in the world tried to emulate the American lifestyle we'd need 5 more planets worth of land and resources.

F. Another serious aspect of resource exhaustion is the extraction of species due largely to pollution and habitat destruction. The graph on p. 98 captures the magnitude of this trend, which is not just a tragedy for these other species but will have adverse consequences for the human species. (on a critical note, I believe the way that graph is scaled does exaggerate the steepness of that upward curve.)

Chapter 12: Industrial diarrhea (literally)

A. Like the previous chapter, the title of this one is quite apt, especially when you consider the concluding point about the problem of pig waste, since we've converted hog raising into a mass production industry (p. 108)

B. I would also say there is a lot of similarity with the previous chapter's emphasis on "out of sight, out of mind" -- only here what is mainly out of sight, out of mind are all the chemicals we have created, most of which have never been tested and are all around us -- our homes being a fairly toxic environment in many cases.

C. Generally, we've allowed industry to bring forth new products and only when "dead bodies" begin to show up do we respond and impose restrictions. But by that time it may be too late as the chemicals involved may already be prevalent in the environment.

1. What were once considered wonder products like DDT and dioxin have been banned, but not before they did serious environmental and health damage which may be long-term. AND FOR WHAT? -- to have cheap food, among other things.

D. Creation of "dead zones" in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere is a testament to "out of sight, out of mind." All sorts of hazardous substances find their way into the Mississippi and are then dumped in the Gulf. This is exacerbated by luxury cruise ships which are allowed to dump a lot of the waste they generate. (p. 105, bottom)

Chapter 13: The addictive virus

A. The authors open by reminding us of all the various things Americans are addicted to, among which has to be included -- addiction to stuff, to shopping. In extreme cases, satisfying our shopping addiction brings people a certain degree of pleasure. But like any addiction, you can never get enough. Like drugs or alcohol, we "build tolerance," that is, we need more and more and it tends to bring less and less satisfaction. In this context, I would cite most of p. 111 where they put this addiction in the language of economists. And I believe it is quite appropriate to consider businessmen and advertisers as "pushers."

B. And in the last section, "What Are We Thinking?" (to which I would say, we're not), the authors note the obvious, that many, if not most, people packing the malls are "shoppers in therapy." (p. 113) (which underscores the relevance of Fromm's concept of the "pathology of normalcy")

Chapter 14: Dissatisfaction guaranteed

A. This chapter draws a clear distinction between happiness and stuff. It cites several studies which prove the obvious: that more stuff, wealth, does not necessarily make us happier. Yet, we have an economic system based on that very premise. We forget to ask a very basic question -- what is an economy for?

1. Indeed, "The American race-car lifestyle is fast approaching burnout because it requires long, stressful workweeks that eat up chunks of life, natural resources, and health. It programs us to substitute consumption for both citizenship and companionship. And it tries to meet nonmaterial needs with material goods, a losing strategy. " (p. 115)

2. Quote from Donella Meadows also gets to the crux of this issue -- see middle p. 116.

B. The authors then go on to present one of the more insightful efforts to define human happiness and satisfaction -- Abraham Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" (p. 118). Clearly, our vaunted economic system may contribute to climbing the first couple rungs of that ladder, but it also works against going much higher. As the authors note: "Since America became a nation of consumers spoon-fed by automated products, fewer of us are now able to use our hands, or a sense of craft, in our work. As a result, creative satisfaction gets lost in the shuffle, along with knowledge, meaning, beauty, and balance -- all higher rungs on Maslow's ladder." (p. 119) And read the next two paragraphs carefully as well.

1. Our abundant food industry, which promotes obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle, works against being able to climb to the top of Maslow's hierarchy.

2. They note how the American drive to produce and consume has undermined some other healthy cultural practices such as the Spanish midday siesta (p. 123)

C. They conclude by posing some interesting questions. See p. 124.


That brings us up to "Part Two: Causes" in Affluenza. I may post some additional lecture notes on Monday, but if not, I will pick up here on Tuesday. Also, be sure to give some thought to possible midterm questions because I will give you some time to confer with your family members about which three questions you will propose for next Thursday, 3/13.