[Noah Baron looks at consumer culture's rather problematic relationship with happiness. And on a possibly-related note, this is an excellent chance to link to one of the most weirdly interesting pages on all of WikiCu. And yes, that is a picture of Emile Durkheim at the top of this post.]
According to this article, rates of extreme depression have risen in each generation since 1915. The Centers for Disease Control and Protection have released a report which states that suicide rates amongst young girls (ages 10-14) have risen 76%. The report goes on to state that between 2003 and 2004, suicide rates for all youth (people aged 10-24) had risen 8%, the largest single increase in almost two decades.
Opinions seem to vary on the causes, ranging from increasing numbers of people defaulting on their credit to high levels of stress during the holidays. And, while the general rise in depression might seem to imply a higher suicide rate, the stunning increase in youth suicide and depression would appear rather anomalous in this context: children do not have credit upon which to default, and I think most would agree that younger people generally do not feel terribly stressed during the holiday season.
Something far more deep-seated is at work here, namely a culture of consumption and materialism. Both of the previously-mentioned theories are merely symptoms of this deeper problem. Many people are stressed during the holidays because they are worried about how much they will be able to spend and how much debt they’ll be in after the frenzy. And credit card debt comes from the drive to spend despite potential financial harm to oneself.
And, of course, there are others who agree with me. There’s Adbusters, which has been railing against destructive consumerism for years. But recently, The Epoch Times, a Canadian newspaper, ran an article discussing a growing list of studies that establish a link between depression and materialism–a strong attachment to material goods to the exclusion of spiritual or intellectual values.
And The Epoch Times is not alone in this assessment. Alternet, in its Health & Wellness section, also posted an article about how out-of-control consumption is reminiscent of well-known behavioral patterns of substance abusers. One of the most disturbing quotes in the article, however, is from an Australian public health researcher:
“Addiction is really a hallmark of our era, and I think it reflects that we don’t have culturally promoted kinds of other deeper forms of meaning and purpose in our lives. So we make up for it by consuming more. But the evidence is overwhelming that people who are characterized by materialistic attitudes and values actually experience lower well-being, lower happiness, more depression and anxiety and anger than people who aren’t materialistic.”
I think it’s time that we, as a society, admit that we have a an addiction–some would say to oil, others would say to war. But the fact of the matter is that it’s an addiction not only to war and to oil, but to spending and to consumption. While some might joke about drowning one’s sorrows in drink, the reality is that the credit card is the new booze. Our society is addicted and it’s killing us, one at a time.
-NOAH BARON
From personal experience, a major source of sadness growing up was being considered a geek because I wore sweatpants to school and wore brooks basketball high-tops instead of nike. Other than that I was a pretty happy kid, and fortunately I had strong willed parents who refused to buy name brands for its own sake. Thanks for this article and for the links.
Said Ben DT,
On April 16, 2008 at 9:53 am: