The Affluenza Virus - Vaccines to immunise against the Christmas consumer blues

1st Nov 2006; 18:00

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Based on interviews conducted in 2004 whilst spending three weeks each in seven foreign nations around the world and on his analysis of the scientific evidence, Oliver James proposes that we live in a sick society which is making us mentally ill.

Rates of mental illness are twice as high in English-speaking nations (one quarter of people in them having had one in the last 12 months), like Britain, America and Australia, compared with mainland European ones (where 11.5 per cent have had a mental illness in the last 12 months). The reason is that the former have Selfish Capitalist governance, the latter are relatively Unselfish Capitalist.

Akin to Market Liberalism and Neo-Conservativism, Selfish Capitalism fosters Affluenza - the placing of a high value on money, possessions, appearances (physical and social) and fame. Studies done in 14 different nations show that people with the Affluenza Virus are at greater risk of suffering depression, anxiety, substance abuse and personality disorder. Since English-Speaking nations are more afflicted by the Virus, they are twice as prone to mental illness as Unselfish Capitalist ones.

James returned from his mind tour of New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Moscow, Shanghai, Copenhagen and New York clutching the vaccines against the Affluenza Virus. Nationally, they entail being more like Denmark than the USA.

Individually, they are to replace Having with Being and to meet real needs rather than consumerist wants.

With Oliver James, psychologist

Chaired by Amelia Hill, Culture and Society Correspondent, The Observer

Download full lecture and Q&A session (MP3, 22MB)

Download transcript (PDF, 135KB)

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