Looks good...

This looks so interesting... and who could resist the title? Here's wiki's definition of the word:

affluenza, n. a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more. (de Graaf ^[1])

affluenza, n. 1. The bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to keep up with the Joneses. 2. An epidemic of stress, overwork, waste and indebtedness caused by the pursuit of the American Dream. 3. An unsustainable addiction to economic growth. (PBS [1])

And read this!! Who would've thought??

James also believes that higher rates of mental disorders are the consequence of excessive wealth-seeking in consumerist nations. ^[3]. He cites World Health Organization data that English-speaking nations have twice as much mental illness as mainland Europe: 23% vs 11.5% suffered in the twelve months ending^[when?]. James defines affluenza as 'placing a high value on money, possessions, appearances (physical and social) and fame,' and this becomes the rationale behind the increasing mental illness in English-speaking societies. He explains the greater incidence of affluenza as the result of 'Selfish Capitalism,' the neo-conservative or Market Liberal political governance found in English-speaking nations as compared to the less selfish capitalism pursued in mainland Europe. James asserts that societies can remove the negative consumerist effects by pursuing real needs over perceived wants, and by defining themselves as having value independent of their material possessions.

Affluenza. I wanted to go buy the book...but maybe I should check it out at the library instead...