The full video for the 1998 PBS documentary “Affluenza”, examining the “high cost of achieving the most extravagant lifestyle the world has ever seen.” While the documentary is a bit dated, the central thesis–that there is something not only severely wrong with a consumerist economy, but also hollow and uninteresting–is relevant as ever. From the website:
Last year, Americans, who make up only five percent of the world’s population, used nearly a third of its resources and produced almost half of its hazardous waste. Add overwork, personal stress, the erosion of family and community, skyrocketing debt, and the growing gap between rich and poor, and it’s easy to understand why some people say that the American Dream is no bargain. Many are opting out of the consumer chase, redefining the Dream, and making “voluntary simplicity” one of the top 10 trends of the ’90s.
The documentary travels across the United States, examining the psychological and economic results of perpetual abundance and consumption. In addition to that, the film interviews people and organizations (including Vancouver’s Adbusters) who have decided to reject and resist consumption-driven culture and offer alternatives.
