Hi Everyone,
Just when I planned some of my blogs for the week, this one set my plans off course. Today and tomorrow’s blog won’t score a lot of points but they should be eye-openers. Maybe they will have some people returning Christmas gifts. Who knows? This is what I mean.
The term, affluenza, was first coined by Jessie H. O’Neill in her book titled, The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence. I have yet to read this book, yet I don’t have to look too far for any examples of affluenza in the rich, poor or the middle-class. Affluenza is everywhere and it begins at home.
My definition of, affluenza is someone who is always allowed to do whatever they want, when they want because their one or more parents and grandparents don’t want to hurt their feelings. Instead of being disciplined, the person is taught to live a life of no consequences, with no boundaries. As long as the child is “happy” no one or anything else matters. Irresponsibility is granted as freely as the gifts they don’t deserve. Affluenza is not only for the rich. It is for anyone who allows it to happen. Socio-economic positions do not apply they simply make affluenza more prevalent and damaging.
If anyone thinks that is harsh, look around. I dare you. There is a very good reason our once value-laden society has taken a turn for the worst. A growing number of parents and grandparents want to be friends with everyone. Why do you think little boys never grow up to be fully grown men? No one taught them is my thinking. I’m going to leave little girls out of today’s blog, simply because that is what little boys, fully grown or not call fully grown women. Anyway…. ;D
Here is a link to the latest case of affluenza by Ethan Couch. The sixteen year-old boy who, while drunk, drove his parents’ business truck and killed four people. He stole the alcohol from Wal-Mart. If you haven’t heard about this, please click on each of the links after you read the article. It is a very telling story of, as one person stated, a spoiled brat.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/12/health/affluenza-youth/
Here is a movie trailer for, Affluenza, (2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlNAJm4FTVY
Here is a link to the Affluenza 1997 Documentary. It is 56:04 minutes in length. If you decide to watch this video just times the effects by ten because there are a lot of parents who grew up in that era. I included.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qSqr3uI8Pw
Here is a link to one of my past blogs. It has four links and a few of those links have others,
http://arebelsrant.com/do-you-know-a-little-boy/
If you still want to learn more, here is one more link, just in case,
Thank you for reading, A. Rebel’s Rant! ;D
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