Lecture Notes: Plenitude

Given that we have a fair amount of ground to cover during these last two classes, I am going to post some of my lecture notes on "Plenitude." Please make sure to print out or copy these notes because I may make up final exam questions based on them. Also, DO NOT FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE MANY TEXTUAL REFERENCES -- these are passages from the book that I would have quoted and commented on in class.

We left off last Thursday near the beginning of Chapter Three, so I'll just start from there:

Chapter Three: Economics Confronts the Earth

A. Much of this chapter is devoted to a detailed, at times complex, analysis of how the field of economics has attempted to come to grips with the environmental impacts of economic activity. To a large extent, she questions the conclusions of these so-called "environmental economists" -- from the "CORNUCOPIANS" (who basically argue there are no limits to growth) to the "TRADE-OFF ANALYSTS" (cost-benefit calculators) by calling into question some of the basic assumptions on which they construct their elaborate models.

1. Before we look at some of these flawed assumptions, it is important to note that up until recently (the last couple decades or so) environmental impacts were NOT even considered (or measured) by mainstream economists -- such impacts were considered mere "EXTERNALITIES." Market prices did not reflect ecological costs.

2. Dr. Schor suggests that the urgency of climate change has contributed to more of an openness to ecological or environmental economics, but there are still relatively few such economists (eg., only one environmental economist in Harvard's 55-member economics department).

3. Cornucopians or eco-optimists even believe in the wonders of population growth itself, which they believe will result in more smart people, more human ingenuity, which will discover substitutes for nature: if we chop down the forests, we can rely on tree plantations, or if we overfish and deplete the oceans, we can start fish farms.

4. A more moderate eco-optimism believes that as countries grow richer, they will at some point address pollution, so rather than discourage growth we should be encouraging it. But this assumes that market players will make the right choices when it comes to scarcity or climate change. Note how Dr. Schor challenges such an assumption. See all of p. 75.

5. Trade-off economics also assumes market competition creates a "best of all possible worlds." See pp. 76-77, especially the Latin phrase at the bottom of p. 77.

B. Then, there is the great hope that we won't really have to change our behavior, or business-as-usual (BAU) because the creation of "green technology," green products will save the day. But as Dr. Schor notes there is a big BUT... -- see 2nd & 3rd paragraphs, p. 86.

1. One problem with this is the "REBOUND EFFECT" -- that as we make products greener, more efficient, it will encourage even more consumption. See Fig. 3.3, top p. 90.

2. She presents a revealing case study of Great Britain, which has been described as "carbon crazy" -- significant government, business, media attention and action to reduce the carbon footprint. Note her analysis, see pp. 92-93.

C. Unquestionably, as she re-emphasizes at the end of the chapter, we need to address growth itself -- "Either we have to grow less or we have to grow very differently." (p. 97)


Chapter Four: Living Rich on a Troubled Planet

A. In the context of the "limits of the current growth regime," Dr. Schor describes a couple broad alternatives: (1) BAU or (2) PLENITUDE. See opening paragraph, p. 99 -- the last sentence previews the subheadings of the rest of the chapter.

B. Dr. Schor also identifies an important underlying principle of living a life of plenitude. As she says, "The strategy of diversification outlined below can be a route to a similarly light footprint. But its ability to yield a life of true happiness and well-being is ultimately dependent on a prior principle -- one life living. It comes from the idea that most people believe they have only a single chance on earth. To live richly, or with plenitude, one must use that chance in a way that is personally meaningful." (p. 100)

C. Diversifying out of the BAU economy will first of all require that we reclaim time -- time that has been lost to the market and consumption. As Dr. Schor observes: "Millions of Americans have lost control over the basic rhythm of their daily lives. They work too much, eat too quickly, socialize too little, drive and sit in traffic for too many hours, don't get enough sleep, and feel harried too much of the time." (p. 103)

1. She, then, goes on to document just how much more we are working today and the adverse effects of this -- stress, worse physical health, depression, etc..

2. Rather than the usual "trade-off economics" perspective -- that either we will be living poorer or working longer -- plenitude offers another option -- see top paragraph, p. 107.

a.) And she cites survey results which suggest a big jump in the percentage of adults having made a voluntary lifestyle change that entailed earning less money (from 19% in 1996 to 48% in 2004). And most who made this change reported being happier, although many also acknowledged that they missed the money.

D. But to make such voluntary lifestyle changes more feasible we must address some basic security needs we all have. Here, Dr. SChor squarely acknowledges our need to address the following security concerns -- MEDICAL CARE, EDUCATION, CHILD CARE, PENSIONS. "To date, none of these problems has been solved..." (p. 110, top) See the rest of pp. 110-111.

1. "Once individuals know that they will be taken care of if they get ill, that their children can be well educated at a reasonable cost, and that they will have a pension at the end of their working lives, they are free to pursue a lower impact and more satisfying style of life." (p. 112)

E. "Rebalancing between market and nonmarket activity is not only a strategy to improve individual well-being; it is also a centerpiece of ecological sustainability,...Earn less, spend less, emit and degrade less." (p. 112)

F. Dr. Schor then goes into many ways that we can produce things for ourselves. And she later notes how more advanced technology can make DIY projects less arduous and boring.

1. Perhaps most interesting in this regard is the so-called "digital fabricator" -- advanced machines that follow sets of digital commands to manipulate and form raw materials to produce actual objects. (p. 121)

2. She calls some of these DIYers, "BIONEERS."

G. And what about the "Plenitude Consumer?" -- the all-American passion for shopping? Here, she offers a different view from the more typical and simple approach to shop less -- see bottom, p. 127 - middle of p. 128.

1. Should embrace a new focus on QUALITY, and what she calls "SLOW SPENDING."

2. Also, REUSE and RESALE of the masses of things we've already produced -- the Goodwill solution.

H. Small Can Be Beautiful, especially smaller homes.

I. The Share Solution -- eg. "Zip car" which in some cities makes vehicles available on a short-term basis. Or, "freecycle."

J. The sharing economy, in addition to its obvious ecological benefits, can assist in rebuilding social ties in a society "...that has experienced a rise in disconnection, loneliness, and individualism." (p. 139, top)

1. Need to rebuild our SOCIAL CAPITAL.

2. Ironically, economic growth, prosperity can actually undermine community because people can afford to purchase services and not depend as much on neighbors simply to borrow things.

3. Finally, Dr. Schor underscores the benefits of rebuilding our social capital. She cites Eric Klinenberg's book, "Heat Wave" -- that social isolation was a major factor contributing to higher death tolls in certain parts of Chicago. See last paragraph, p. 142.
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That brings us up to Chapter Five, which is where I will begin tomorrow, Tues., 5/10.

Family Activity: Making Up Questions for the Final Exam

It is time to start the process of making up questions for the final exam, as you did for the midterm. I am not going to include all the detail I did in describing the types of questions I want you to come up with, since you've been through this before and you've taken the midterm exam, so you should know the kinds of questions I am looking for. The latter half of the course began with my final comments on "Affluenza," beginning specifically with Chapter 26. Anything covered in class or posted on the blog, such as my follow-up comments on "Advertising and the End of the World," will be fair game. I will give you some class time over the next couple weeks to confer about this with your family members. As you did before, I want each family to come up with SIX short-answer questions and answers, and submit those to me in writing or via email (NOT ON THIS BLOG) NO LATER THAN NOON FRIDAY, MAY 13TH. I will then consider them and select at least three questions from each family. For each additional question I accept, that family will earn a bonus point and have the added advantage of knowing more of the exam. I will then post the questions and answers I accept on this blog NO LATER THAN MONDAY, MAY 16, BY 4PM, so you will have them in plenty of time to study for the exam. This activity is worth 5 points to all PARTICPATING family members, with the possibility of earning 3 additional bonus points.

Comments on "Advertising and the End of the World" & Family Activity on "Consuming Kids"

"Advertising and the End of the World" with Sut Jhally

I. Advertising and Culture

A. Clearly, advertising is a key aspect of our culture, given how it has infiltrated almost all aspects of our lives, especially our media systems. Advertising tells stories about our hopes, dreams, aspirations -- our way of life.

B. Anthropologist from Mars would conclude from studying advertising that ours is a culture dominated by a belief in MAGIC: things or goods have immense powers. (parenthetically, this Martian anthropologist might also conclude that we have sex on the brain, given the pervasiveness of sex to sell stuff.)

II. Capitalism has remade the world

A. No economic system has ever been so productive as industrial capitalism, churning out an immense number of products. The problem of capitalism is not really production, or even distribution, but CONSUMPTION -- how to sell all the stuff produced. Hence, we've created a whole industry devoted to the business of consumption -- ADVERTISING, which is a $175 billion/yr. industry (as of 1997) and represents the greatest propaganda effort in human history.

III. Wrong and Right Question

A. The WRONG question is: does an ad help sell a product? (Of course, this question is the "right" from the market standpoint, but we're interested in advertising's impact on the broader culture.) So, the RIGHT question is: what impact does advertising have on culture? And we can get at this by addressing how advertising answers some basic questions.

IV. Three basic questions

1. HOW DO WE BECOME HAPPY? Every culture has a story of happiness. Advertising's answer is that commodities make us happy, economic growth. Also has to do with the FREEDOM of choice (which is why the former Soviet Union was so dismal).

a.) Is it true? According to so-called happiness surveys going back to 1945, apparently not. Have a lot more stuff today, but we are not any happier (subjectively).

b.) Most people place so-called SOCIAL VALUES (love, friendship, family) above material ones as the basic elements of the "good life." Recognizing this, advertisers try to market products as if they will help us attain those social values, which is really a "CRUEL ILLUSION."

2. WHAT IS SOCIETY?

a.) Advertising addresses us as INDIVIDUALS, seeking to satify our wants and desires. Consistent with Margaret Thatcher's statement -- no such thing as society; society is just a bunch of individuals acting on their own. (Which, I would stress, is contrary to the view of society I developed earlier in this course.)

b.) By its nature it encourages greed, selfishness, and not a concern for broader social issues: issues such as poverty, environmental pollution, etc. are pushed to the margins.

3. FUTURE?

a.) Advertising is all about the PRESENT, just as business in general is very short-term oriented. The problem is we are facing resource and environmental issues that are by their very nature LONG-TERM. Can't address these issues individually; they are a matter of collective social responsibility. Going to require long-term planning, sacrifice, and leadership, NOT immediate, short-term, self-interested approaches which is what advertising is all about.

V. What to do?

A. Mr. Jhally cited a statement of an Italian thinker, Antonio Gramsci, who said we need to have a "pessimism of intellect and optimism of will." That is, be realistic and critical about the current situation, yet optimistic and hopeful in acting to change the situation.

REMEMBER TO COPY OR PRINT THE ABOVE COMMENTS. I MAY ASK A QUESTION OR TWO ABOUT THESE POINTS ON THE FINAL EXAM.
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FAMILY ACTIVITY ON "CONSUMING KIDS," THE VIDEO

Next week Tuesday (4/12) we'll be seeing the video program, "Consuming Kids," based on the book we are currently reading. After seeing this program, I want the two families to discuss it in the context of the following passage from the book (which we'll begin to talk about next Thursday). Susan Linn observes: "In the long run, our children's immersion in this commercial culture has implications that go far beyond what they buy or don't buy. Marketing is designed to influence more than food preferences and choice of clothing. It aims to affect core values such as lifestyle choices: how we define happiness and how we measure our self-worth. Meanwhile, the very traits that today's marketing encourages -- materialism, impulsivity, entitlement, and unexamined brand loyalty -- are antithetical to those qualities necessary in a healthy democratic citizenry. Instead of being a mainstay of American life, intensive advertising to children may be eroding its foundations." (p. 8)

I would add to this, that you should not only consider how marketing may undermine the creation of a democratic citizenry but also, more broadly, may be undermining the health and well-being of individuals as well as the larger society. So, in that broad context, I want each family to identify any THREE points from the video that support that broad argument. I also want each family to come up with ONE critical point; that is, one point which you believe the video may have overlooked or downplayed which would represent a challenge to Ms. Linn's point above.

I will give the families time in class to confer about this after the video on Tuesday and then on Thursday. A representative from each family will be called upon to present your family's findings to the rest of the class on Tuesday (4/19), and someone from each family (not necessarily the same person who presents the findings in class) will post your family's findings as a comment on this blog post. I may use this as a basis for a question or two on the final exam.

This exercise is worth 5 activity points, and you must participate to earn those points.

Affluenza Wrap-up & Reminders

Since I did not manage to finish my commentary on "Affluenza" yesterday in class, I will do so now.

Chapter 28: Political prescriptions

A. Michael Jacobsen opens with a simple, but profound, truth -- "Our country is set up structurally to oppose voluntary simplicity." (p. 221) The authors then warn the reader this is going to be a longer chapter, and they acknowledge something that I have stressed all along -- social ills such as affluenza won't be cured by personal action alone.

B. So, let's touch on some of these larger actions they see as necessary to really come to grips with this epidemic.

1. A very important step would be to allow workers to take back some of the TIME they've earned due to increased productivity.

a.) See top p. 224. Juliet Schor describes what has happened since World War II. They go on to discuss some interesting proposals, all of which would necessitate government intervention (as govt. intervened in 1938 and established the 40hr workweek).

b.) It is amazing how far behind the rest of the world we are, and not just other rich countries. See bottom p. 226 "Americans can do better...."

c.) Work-sharing during recessions, and other times, makes sense.

2. One of the big public policy changes that would greatly facilitate these other changes would be adopting a single-payer, universal health care system. See middle paragraph, p. 228.

3. Also, they float some interesting tax proposals.

C. They admit upfront that given all this stress on cutting back, spending less, etc. may cause the economy to collapse. Perhaps, and I would say if it does, then good riddance -- let's build something new based on other principles.

1. Other countries have made peace with slower or no growth -- I like what a former Dutch prime minister said. See bottom, p. 232-233.


Chapter 29: Annual check-ups

A. Back to the medical analogy, just as we could use annual check-ups, so too the community. And of course to do that we have to develop instruments to measure the community's health.

1. Fever Index interesting.

2. Asking ourselves basic questions, as if we only had another year to live -- are you really doing what is important?

3. Community check-up illustrated by Seattle which came up with 40 sustainability indicators. p. 238.

B. National check-up provided by some more realistic measures of health and wealth, rather than the GDP. They make a very good point about all the negative things the GDP counts as positives. See bottom paragraph, p. 240. GPI (or Genuine Progress Indicator) factors out the negative and measures things that should really count.


Chapter 30: Healthy again

A. In this concluding chapter, the authors underscore our need to acknowledge how sick we are.

B. We need to "Dream a New Dream" -- not a dream of more and more, endless economic growth, etc., but a dream of restoring QUALITY to our lives. Really a dream of SIMPLICITY. The authors then quote Betsy Taylor of the Center for a New American Dream. See middle paragraph p. 245.

1. Finally, I like what they have to say in "Moving at the Speed of Quality" --
"In a way, quality is to affluenza what garlic is to vampires. Durability, appropriate materials, and good design eliminate the need for mountains of stuff, without reducing overall value. It's a different kind of math, which asks not how MUCH, but rather how WELL." p. 246.
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That's it for "Affluenza." We'll be moving on to "Consuming Kids" next week. Read thru Chapter 3 (up to p. 60) for next week.

REMINDERS:

1. I will finish going over the midterm exam tomorrow (Thurs. 4/7).
2. ALL OF YOU NEED TO INDICATE WHAT YOUR TOPIC WILL BE FOR YOUR PAPER. THE DEADLINE IS TOMORROW.
3. We will be seeing another video tomorrow as well, "Advertising and the End of the World," which I plan to post some comments about on this blog following our viewing of this video.
4. Next Tuesday (4/12) I will show another video, "Consuming Kids," and in connection with that one, I will have a family activity posted on this blog by Friday (4/8), so check it out.

FAMILY QUESTIONS FOR THE MIDTERM EXAM

The following are the questions I selected from the ones submitted by the two families. You will note I did some editing of both questions and answers. Some questions I rejected because the answers provided were not accurate. One of the things I added to the questions submitted was some context (for example, from what chapter in "Affluenza" the question came). REMEMBER, THESE QUESTIONS WILL BE ON THE EXAM ON THURSDAY.


MAGENTA FAMILY (Coleman, Kelsey, Stephanie, Sandra) earn 5 points (although you only submitted 5 questions, instead of 6.)

1. In Chapter 12, Industrial diarrhea, the authors cite Dr. Sandra Steingraber who, in her book "Living Downstream," makes what point about chemicals found in many products? (1)

ANSWER: "The vast majority of commercially used chemicals were brought to the market before 1979, when federal legislation mandated the review of new chemicals. Thus many carcenogenic environmental contaminants likely remain unidentified, unmonitored and, unregulated."

2. Why do marketers try to capture children especially into buying their products? (2)

ANSWER: Because if you wait to reach children with your product until they are 18, you probably won't capture them. Also, because children have a significant influence on their parents and their own money, which makes them important consumers.

3. To give some idea of the dramatic increase in household debt, the authors note in Chapter 2, A rash of bankruptcies, that in 1980 U.S. household debt stood at 65% of disposable income. Today, that same figure is what? (1)

ANSWER: 125%


BLUE FAMILY (Warren, Ross, Mary, Amber) earn 5 activity points.

1. Explain what the authors mean by "global infection," one of the subheadings in Chapter 10, Social scars. (1)

ANSWER: How social scars left by affluenza are being replicated throught the entire world as more and more cultures adopt the American lifestyle.

2. At the end of Chapter 6, Family convulsions, I called your attention to the views of conservative Edward Luttwak. How does Luttwak distinguish a real conservative from a phony one? (2)

ANSWER: A real conservative wants to conserve family, community, nature, whereas a phony conservative tends to defend the unrestricted free market as the best mechanism for rapidly increasing America's wealth, often at the expense of family, community, nature.

3. How did the introduction of television in the 1950s contribute to the epidemic of affluenza? (2)

ANSWER: Television showed everyone how the other (or upper) half lived. Although crude at first, ads on TV became more psychologically sophisticated and thus more effective in selling things to people.
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Reminders & Follow-up to "Escape From Affluenza"

REMINDERS: First and foremost, do not forget to submit your questions for the midterm exam this coming Thursday, Mar. 24th. I expect SIX questions and answers from each of the two families. Make sure to email them or drop them off at my office NO LATER THAN NOON MONDAY, 3/21. And I would certainly welcome them earlier. Also, next Tuesday we will cover at least thru Chapter 25 in "Affluenza," and probably also have a little time for review for the midterm.

FOLLOW-UP TO "ESCAPE FROM AFFLUENZA"

First, let me comment a bit further on an observation Warren made. Although the film did make an effort to include a racial and ethnic mix among the people interviewed, it clearly was slanted to the middle class. They were all "down-shifters," that is, people who had once had middle-class incomes and jobs but decided for various reasons to embrace simplicity -- some voluntary and some involuntary. It would have been nice to feature some working-class or poor folks who live frugally, and almost have to. In defense of the film's middle-class bias, I believe it made sense to feature people who had once been afflicted with affluenza and sought to cure themselves. Also, they wanted to emphasize the point that stuff does not necessarily make us happy, and that people living on a lot less can be happy and fulfilled. But, of course, as we know, even poor folks can be afflicted with affluenza and in some cases resort to crime to try to satisfy their thirst for stuff. With that said, let me get into my own remarks --


First of all, let me say that there is much to admire about the personal stories of those who have embraced "voluntary simplicity." I was especially impressed by a few of the stories. Dick Roy, former corporate lawyer and now director of the Northwest Institute, and his wife are real models of simple living. It is hard to imagine that they are able to "reduce, re-use, and recycle" to such an extent that they produce only one can of garbage in a year!! Most of us throw out at least that much garbage every week. You also have to admire Ron Simmons, former Microsoft engineer, who abandoned a promising career in computers to become an actor and also do a whole range of volunteer activities. And then there is Ming Chen and his family, but it was noted that their teenage daughter was rebelling against their frugal lifestyle. Calvin DeWitt, the University of Wisconsin environmentalist, made a very good point about how our social and economic activities are so incompatible with natural systems, like wetlands, that recycle everything naturally.

But for all these inspiring personal stories, there was LITTLE ATTENTION TO BROADER INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE. For example, the "tight-wad" couple in Holland talked about reducing the number of cars you own and drive to zero, instead of just scaling back to one and driving it less. That, of course, is easier to do in Holland because of the wide availability of public transportation and support for other alternatives such as bicycling. It is tough, if not impossible, for people in America to give up automobiles because of little public or institutional support for such a move. The bulk of transportation dollars go to road and highway construction and repair. And our whole pattern of urban and especially suburban development is largely based on the private automobile as the main means of transportation. Also, from an economic standpoint, more money can be made selling cars rather than expanding public transportation, so maybe we are going to have to change such incentives significantly.

I was particularly impressed with Alan Durning's (of the Worldwatch Institute) account of all the things that made possible him having a cup of coffee in the morning. Remember the point I made earlier about INSTITUTIONS BEING THE REAL ACTORS IN MODERN SOCIETY -- that his act of making coffee was the act of that agricultural system in Colombia, the act of a shipping industry, the act of power companies to roast the coffee beans, etc., etc. etc....So, if you want to change any aspect of that system -- say reduce coffee consumption -- you are going to have to take into account the impact on those interrelated institutions.

Finally, I really appreciated the quick overview of American history. Ms. Urbanska noted the deep roots of "simple living" in our history. But significantly, after almost two decades of economic depression and war in the 1930s and 40s, we were ready to produce and spend and consume, that is, "grow the economy." A growing economy, higher and higher GDP, more stuff, became the overriding goal of our society. But, of course, this has not made us any happier and perhaps we are overdue to consider scaling back, emphasizing QUALITY of life over QUANTITY of things. In this context, I believe it is significant that overwhelmingly people who choose a simpler, less cluttered life are happier, even in the context of our materialist, consumer society.

PLEASE INCORPORATE THESE COMMENTS IN YOUR NOTES. I CERTAINLY MAY ASK A QUESTION OR TWO ON THE MIDTERM BASED ON THE ABOVE COMMENTS.

Lecture Notes on last two chapters of Part II of "Affluenza"

Since we will be seeing "Escape from Affluenza" tomorrow (Thurs. 3/17), which is a video version of Part III of the book, I thought I'd take this opportunity to post some lecture notes on the last two chapters in Part II, which will bring us up to Part III: Treatment. Be sure to incorporate these notes in your class notes and pay special attention to textual references.
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Chapter 19 The age of affluenza

A. This chapter is mainly about the title of the first section, "ADFLUENZA," -- "That advertising's prime purpose is to promote affluenza is hardly a secret,..." (p. 154) Then, note the comment of Pierre Martineau, marketing director for the Chicago Tribune way back in 1957: "Advertising's most important social function is to integrate the individual into our present-day American high-speed consumption economy. The average individual doesn't make anything,...He buys everything, and our economy is geared to the faster and faster tempo of his buying, BASED ON WANTS WHICH ARE CREATED BY ADVERTISING IN LARGE DEGREE." (emphasis in the original) (p. 154)

B. The costs of ads are phenomenal -- a typical 30-second national TV commercial costs nearly $300,000 to produce, that's $10,000 per second! Advertising is a $217 billion a year business. And it's everywhere, as we know, billboards, school buses, product placement in films, even outer space was considered.

C. We live in an era of HYPERCOMMERCIALISM. Advertising encourages us to meet nonmaterial needs (love, etc.) through material means. Buy this product and we'll be loved and accepted. It's all about image.

D. The table on p. 158 exaggerates the upward "consumption spike," but it certainly has been significant.

E. The authors close this chapter with some critical thoughts from a conservative economist, Wilhelm Ropke, who stresses how commercialism is infiltrating many aspects of our lives where it really does not belong. See, p. 159.


Chapter 20 Is there a (real) doctor in the house?

A. That is, a real doctor in contrast to a "SPIN" doctor, which is what this chapter is mainly about.

B. But the authors begin by making use of the doctor/medical analogy. Though there is all sorts of evidence (or symptoms) of the spread of affluenza, as we've seen, we tend to look the other way -- "told over and over again (by the spin doctors) that the market will provide. But will it?"

1. "How many millions of Americans are wheezing with affluenza, yet remain stubbornly in denial?" (p. 161)

C. Although we may be aware of how pervasive advertising has become, "few people really understand the other dimension of marketing -- and undercover public relations (PR) industry that creates and perpetuates our commercial culture." (p. 161) They go on to give numerous examples of how powerful this PR campaign is:

1. Actually working behind the scenes to sabotage a book critical of some aspects of business.

2. Funding "front groups" which have the appearance of being reputable. Eg. the American Council on Health and Science, but note who funds it!! (p. 163)

3. They note the successful earlier campaigns to defend cigarettes and leaded gas.

4. PR firms which have sought to sow doubt regarding the global warming problem, suggesting it may actually be good for us -- video entitled, "Greening of the Earth" emphasizing all the crops we'll be able to grow, but ignoring the spread of tropical diseases, droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising sea levels, economic disrutpion.

5. PR has inflitrated the news media -- significant percentage of news stories generated by "spin doctor" PR journalists.

D. The consequences may be dire given the speed we seem to be travelling at. See, last paragraph, p. 170.
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That brings us up to Part III: Treatment, which I will begin to talk about in class next Tuesday (3/22). Be sure to read thru at least Chapter 25 for the sake of the midterm exam next Thursday, 3/24. See you tomorrow.

Family Activity: Making Up Questions for the Midterm Exam

I want each of the two families (blue & magenta) to come up with SIX short-answer questions for the midterm exam from anything we have covered since the beginning of the term, which would include, of course, lecture notes, some blog material (eg., notes on "Affluenza"), xerox handouts, and thru at least Chapter 25 in our book, "Affluenza," which is not quite to the end and which we will cover next week in class. This is an exercise designed to put you in my shoes, so to speak, and consider what you believe students should know or be tested on. I've thrown out just a couple samples of what I mean by short-answer questions, and I'll try to do some more of that next week. But I can tell you what I do NOT want. I do NOT want open-ended, opinion questions, NO true-false or multiple-choice, but I WILL accept fill-in-the-blank. I will give the families some class time next Tuesday, 3/15 and Thursday, 3/17 to brainstorm some questions and to come to a consensus on the six best questions. Each of the families will, then, submit to me in writing or via email your six (AND ONLY SIX) questions and ANSWERS. I will need these questions and answers NO LATER THAN MONDAY, MARCH 21ST BY NOON. I will try to select at least three questions from each family for inclusion on the midterm exam. For every additional question I select, that family will earn a bonus point and have the added benefit of knowing more of the questions on the exam. So, try to put some effort into this. I will post the questions and answers I selected on this blog no later than TUESDAY, MARCH 22ND, so you will be able to study them in preparation for the midterm exam which will be given on THURSDAY, MARCH 24TH. This exercise is worth 5 activity points, and you must participate in order to earn those points.

Lecture Notes on "Affluenza"

Given my continuing struggle to get through our book, I am going to post some of my lecture notes. Please be sure to incorporate these notes in your class notes, and be sure to pay attention to passages in the book that I cite, keeping in mind that these passages and highlights may be the source of exam questions.
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Chapter 9 The ache for meaning

First, note the comment from Mother Teresa upon visiting the U.S. "...this is the poorest place I've ever been in my life." (p. 74) Of course, she does not mean materially since she lived and helped the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India, but she means spiritually ( but not necessarily in terms of organized religion).

A. The acquisition of money, stuff, power is clearly not enough by itself to give our lives meaning. And, as this chapter notes, there are all sorts of indicators that our consumer paradise has not brought about fulfillment to Americans (eg., that "The rate of clinical depression in the U.S. today is 10 times what it was before 1945." p. 77 -- but I would add that part of this huge increase is that we simply diagnose more such depression today.)

B. In contrast, the authors note the meaning, sense of fulfillment CCC workers got during the Great Depression, and not because of the pay but because they felt they were helping to build America.

C. The authors cite some studies which challenge what might be regarded as common sense (especially among economists) -- that we are primarily motivated by material self-interest. See, comment by Dr. Michael Lerner, mid. p. 76, and what psychology professors Kasser and Ryan found, see mid., p. 77.

1. Even so, they cite evidence again of how students' attitudes have changed over the past few decades and they have come to embrace the dream of money, status, etc., rather than public service. (That may be changing today.)

D. Even some conservative, free-market defenders acknowledge the soulless quality of our economic life. However, when they talk about the need for individuals to seek meaning beyond that, they appear to focus only on individual meaning. (They do not seem to appreciate individuals' connection with the larger life of society.)

1. To cite one of these conservatives, Ernest van den Haag, some of his criticism of mass consumption and mass production is reminiscent of Marx. See, pp. 79-80.


Chapter 10 Social scars

A. They open by reminding us of some of the costs of the age of affluenza, for example in Thailand where hundreds of women died in a factory fire where plastic toys were made for American children. (You should see the obvious relevance of the the xerox handout, "Toys for Saps," here.)

B. No question our economic system delivers the consumer goods in abundance and relatively cheaply, yet it also reinforces inequality, which the authors see as a "social scar." (top, p. 82)

C. "The rising tide of American affluence hasn't lifted all boats, but it has drowned a lot of dreams. A titanic gulf now separates rich and poor in America." (p. 82)

1. The authors go on to recite several statistical indicators of the growing economic inequality. For example, that at one time Bill Gates had assets worth $90 billion, more than the bottom half of the American population and more than the GNP of 119 nations.

2. Most telling, in this regard, as the authors emphasize, is the growing gap between CEO salaries and ordinary workers. See, top, p. 84.

D. The poor also tend to live in communities where pollution is more widespread.

E. Finally, they draw a connection between affluenza and the social scar of crime. The sense of deprivation, especially among young people in poor communities, is intense and often leads to crime. Trend spotter, Gerald Celente, discovered this in interviewing young gang members.

G. They also briefly address the "global infection" -- how social scars left by affluenza are being replicated throughout the entire world, as more and more cultures copy the American lifestyle.

1. David Korten got tired of promoting our high consumption lifestyle abroad.

2. Inequalities are extreme.

3. I agree wholeheartedly with their final recommendation -- "It is critical that we begin to set another example for the world, and quickly." (p. 88) (I personally see no evidence we have moved in this direction.)


Chapter 11 Resource exhaustion

A. Did any of you pick up on the fact that the opening story from Washington D.C. about the EPA study was SATIRE? As you read this chapter, the notion that consumer product diversity is surpassing biodiversity certainly seems plausible.

B. I would characterize this chapter generally as providing several compelling examples of resource exhaustion stemming from everyday activities that we take for granted. Generally speaking, I believe we all have a tendency to be ignorant or even consciously ignore the effects of our everyday consumption patterns. For starters, note what the book, "Natural Capitalism" brings out, see, p. 90.

C. In the context of the story about a backpack trip to 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 (perhaps this section should be: Out of Sight, Out of Mind)

1. Most of us are oblivious to the envirnomental impacts of production processes and what happens when we throw stuff away. For example, our computers (p. 93), or our cars (p. 95).

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

F. Another serious aspect of resource exhaustion is the extinction 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. (BUT THE WAY THIS TREND IS GRAPHED CLEARLY EXAGGERATES THAT UPWARD CURVE.)


Chapter 12 Industrial diarrhea

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

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 retrictions. 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 river 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.
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That brings us up to Chapter 13, where I will start tomorrow (Thurs. 3/10).

Concluding Comments on Developing a Ground or Basis for Identifying Social Problems & First Family Exercise on "Affluenza"

A couple reminders before I get into the topics of this blog post: (1) you should start reading the book, "Affluenza," thru Chap. 3 for next Thurs.; (2) we will see the video, "Affluenza," in MAIN 122 NEXT TUES. 2/22 (NOT OUR REGULAR CLASSROOM); (3) some of you still need to post your comments on the "First Individual Exercise," which is described in the previous blog post.

CONCLUDING COMMENTS ON THE GROUND OR BASIS FOR IDENTIFYING SOCIAL PROBLEMS:

I wrappped up my observations about society by defining society as "an organized system of institutions." (and that institutions are organized systems of objects directed toward various human ends,and it is through institutions that we as individuals achieve our ends).

I, then began to consider what a healthy or well-ordered society would be like. And I began with the very general observation that in such a society institutions would function harmoniously (which is NOT the same thing as institutions functionally normally). So, let me pick up here with the remainder of my notes --

A. To push this point further, one would have to define the essential purpose of the basic institutions in our society, that is, what role each institution plays in maintaining that larger life (society) in which we all participate. It is also vital for us as individuals to consider our place, our role in this larger life. (For example, in Chapter 14 of "Affluenza" the authors ask us to consider what the economy is for, that is, attempt to define the purpose of the economy. And we will also consider this same basic question in our last book, "Plenitude.")

B. Since my sketch of society is largely based on the social thought of American philosopher, Elijah Jordan, I believe it would be appropriate to give him the last word on this -- a statement of what he calls "the law of morality" or a standard for determining what constitutes a healthy society:

"The good life posits a person or actor endowed by nature and by culture with all the capacities that are possible to him, with these capacities developed to their fullest possible degree; the person living in a world so organized and ordered as to guarantee to the person full and free access to all the means and instruments necessary to the adequate and appropriate expression of his capacities and to the realization of his acts in satisfying objects." (p. 59, "The Good Life")

1. Another nice statement of such an ethical standard can be found on p. 140 of "Affluenza," when the authors quote William Morris.

2. One can easily gather from such a statement that conditions such as poverty, hunger, homelessness, unemployment clearly represent social problems both for the individual and the larger society. I would stress, again, that meaningful work is crucial to individual and social health. WORK IS AN ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE OF LIFE. We build our lives around our work, what we do. When there is a lack of work, meaningless or unrewarding work, or work that undermines that larger order (such as marketing "affluenza") this is a serious social problem.

3. Insofar as our society, or any society for that matter, falls short of this standard of a healthy society, we can say something is wrong, that social problems exit, that we have work to do.
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FAMILY EXERCISE ON THE VIDEO, "AFFLUENZA":

After viewing the video program, "Affluenza," in class next Tuesday (2/22), which runs about 55 minutes, you will get together with your respective blue or magenta family members and discuss which ONE of the many "symptoms" of Affluenza presented represents the greatest threat to the health and well-being of our society. I want each family to come to a CONSENSUS on what you believe is the most adverse symptom. Each family will, then, designate a spokesperson to present your findings at the beginning of class on the following Tuesday, March 1st. I may give you a bit more time on Thurs., Feb. 24th to confer with your family members in class if you need it. I would also like each family to post as a comment your findings on this blog post. This should include the name of the symptom and some points in defense of your choice (or pretty much what you will present in class). ALL FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE TO EARN ACTIVITY POINTS FOR THIS EXERCISE. This exercise is worth 5 activity points.

The two families are: BLUE: Amber, Ross, Warren, Mary.
MAGENTA: Kelsey, Coleman, Stephanie, Sandra.
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That's all. See you next Tuesday in Main 122.

Welcome & First Individual Exercise

WELCOME to this blog for Sociology 215: Social Problems. As I noted in class, we will be using this blog for a variety of individual and group activities. When I post some material on this blog I will let you know about it in class, but it would be a good idea to check it out a couple times a week regardless. Sometimes I may just post some follow-up comments after a class, or I may post something over the long weekend (Thurs - Tues.). In any case, know that this blog is an extension of what we do in class and an important part of this course in social problems.

FIRST INDIVIDUAL EXERCISE:
In the context of my opening remarks (Thurs., 2/10 lecture) about developing a ground or basis for recognizing social problems, I want you to identify some aspect of contemporary American society which you believe is commonly accepted or widely practiced, yet still could be considered harmful or destructive, that is, be considered a social problem. What I mean by "aspect" of contemporary American society is very open-ended: a popular consumer product, government policy, business practice, social ritual, form of media or entertainment, etc.. Briefly describe this aspect and tell why you believe it is a problem, despite its wide acceptance. I am looking for NO MORE THAN 2 PARAGRAPHS (no dissertations). Post your response as a comment on this blog post. Please do so by FRIDAY, FEB. 18TH. This exercise is worth 5 activity points.