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.
____________________________
Monday, March 21, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
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.
_________________________
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.
_________________________________
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.
_________________________
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.
_________________________________
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.
Friday, March 11, 2011
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.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
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.
_____________________
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.
__________________
That brings us up to Chapter 13, where I will start tomorrow (Thurs. 3/10).
_____________________
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).
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