I am currently reading 'Affluenza' by British author and psychologist Oliver James. The term affluenza is defined as a set of values caused by 'selfish capitalism' that increase your exposure to emotional distress. The 'Affluenza Virus' causes you to place a heightened amount of importance on money, possessions, appearances and fame. The book logs James' travels to New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Shanghai, Moscow, Copenhagen and New York and his interviews with a collection of adults with varying salaries. The author's aim is to discover which nations are most affected by 'the Virus' and why. I am only on the second chapter, but he has already kind of said that any nation that's like American will have more emotional distress (mental disorders, like anxiety and depression, among others). But I am going to keep reading because the second half of the book is all about how to cultivate a mindset that fights against the 'Affluenze Virus'. The second half of the book contains chapters like 'Be Beautiful (Not Attractive)', 'Educate your Children (Don't Brainwash Them)', and 'Be Authentic (Not Sincere), Vivacious (Not Hyperactive) and Playful (Not Game-playing)'. I am interested to see how it ends!
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