"They speak truly but touch on only half the matter: we must go deeper." John Calvin
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| Money & Mental Illness: Affluenza |
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Melanie Jones works in finance in Hong Kong. Here are her reflections on Oliver James' book, 'Affluenza.' The book examines the psychological impacts on Western culture of our obsesison with money and wealth. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10 What does the abundant human life actually look like? Few would disagree that it is characterized at very least by an absence of mental illness. In “Affluenza: How to Be Successful and Stay Sane” (2007), British psychologist Oliver James asks why the incidence of depression has skyrocketed in Anglo-Saxon countries since the 1950s. The second half of the 20th century has witnessed a tenfold increase in psychological distress among American citizens. Over the same period, the United States has enjoyed the greatest increase in material wealth of any period in human history. Even in 1950s America, people’s standard of living was such that most individuals had their basic economic needs (food, housing and employment) supplied. In developed nations, man’s economic motivation – survival – was in sight of being assured. And now we enjoy more leisure time, longer life expectancy and a higher standard of living than ever before. So why do nearly 27% of Americans and 23% of UK citizens report emotional distress each year? James contends that the economic boom of the late 20th century is the product of a set of policies (“selfish capitalism”) that promotes material wealth over wellbeing. This emphasis on economic outcomes stands in direct contrast to the wishes of the voting public, who believe that “a government’s prime objective should be to achieve the greatest happiness of the people, not the greatest wealth” (UK survey). In wealthy societies, the largely-redundant instinct to survive has been replaced by a carefully fostered desire for better possessions: bigger houses, flatter TVs, perfect physiques. These wants are induced by advertising, which takes advantage of individuals’ psychological weaknesses to create an insatiable desire for consumption. Of course, wants have to be paid for. And the best-paid jobs are accessed by graduates with the highest grades from the best universities, so children are inducted early into the materialistic cycle. Constant comparison between oneself and others inevitably creates dissatisfaction and insecurity. Indeed, income disparity (the gap between the most- and least-wealthy individuals in a society) is positively correlated to emotional distress, and income disparity is highest among Anglo-Saxon countries. A consumption-centric lifestyle undermines the very things that have been demonstrated to lead to long-term satisfaction and wellbeing: meaningful relationships, an authentic sense of self, joie de vivre, pleasure in motherhood, involvement in community, and a sense of humour. People deficient in these traits are (in James’ terminology) victims of “affluenza”. In its extreme form, affluenza manifests as clinical depression. James goes so far as to argue that mental illness is a rational response to a world gone mad. James’ thesis is constructed from interviews with a variety of citizens of the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Denmark, Russia and China. He would have done better to show compassion rather than contempt for those of his interviewees whom he regards as victims of affluenza, because his scorn for some of them is easily misconstrued as envy for the materially lavish lifestyles that they lead. James proposes some socio-political solutions to affluenza, including controls on advertising, and some tips for readers in their own lives. So what?To be sure, James’ observation that material possessions don’t make people happy is nothing new. Christians have long resisted measuring their lives by a worldly yardstick. And regular worshippers (in any religion) consistently suffer less depression and unhappiness than unbelievers, allegedly because the religious “are less likely to be materialistic … and more likely to be preoccupied with things spiritual”. But an insidious and unchecked rise of policies that foster and endorse materialism should concern Christians. Modern society exhibits a conviction “that consumption and market forces can meet human needs of almost every kind”. As a society becomes wealthier, consumption spending contributes an increasing proportion of GDP (consumption currently accounts for two-thirds of US GDP), and so there are political motivations for fuelling consumption. Meanwhile there is no generally-accepted equivalent metric for wellbeing. If developing countries like China, currently engaged in rapid economic development, embrace the selfish capitalist policies of Anglo-Saxon countries, then depression threatens to be one of the most significant social issues of the 21st century. And given the global influence of American culture and the increasing cultural homogeneity that technology and communications brings, such a scenario is not far-fetched. Christians have long acted to better the plight of the materially impoverished, the disenfranchised and the powerless. Whilst there will always be a need for these ministries, James’ work suggests an increasing urgency for a ministry to a new and immense group of people: the materially wealthy who are psychologically vulnerable.
Affluenza is available from Amazon - click here to purchase.
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One of the important things about the journal Still Deeper is that it is an online journal. I am a huge fan of books- my living room is full of them, as are most other rooms in the house. My wife alerts me to the fact that this is not to everybody's taste! At the time of the reformation, books were a new technology, invented and popularised by secularists. Humanists actually, to give them their correct title. Their technology was part of the reason for the spread of the reformation gospel. The age of the book lasted from then- till about our generation. It is not that books cease to be used now, rather that they no longer determine the shape of culture. That impacts the way people learn, think and do ministry.The internet is the new printing press. Most theology journals around are based on book formats. Costly, non-interactive, rigidly controlled by deadlines and overheads. Some have internet versions of their publishing- but it is usually just an online version of what is in print. Still Deeper hopes to connect more meaningfully with the post-book age, by using internet publishing in a way that takes full advantage of the internet medium. So Still Deeper has no publishing deadlines- we update articles and blogs frequently and regularly. We have no word count restrictions and welcome submissions from people worldwide. You don't need to be a famous Christian leader (!) to contribute. Our journal can utilise video, audio, pictures, comments, polls and other things not possible in paper format. In addition, while we welcome donations to cover costs- we are free to read and tell others about! Some readers have asked who designed our site. It was professionally designed- by a Christian company based in Egypt. They do a lot of good there generally, and I can highly recommend their services! |
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