'You+are+not+a+beautiful+and+unique+snowflake,+you+are+the+same+decaying+organic+matter+as+everyone+else'+Gen+Y's+craving+for+individuality+and+consumerism

Airlie Paynter n8290814 Tutor: Abbey Hamilton

Companies use different methods to portray their products. An example of this can be seen below in this advertisement for Yahoo (Shimanohuff, 2007) on the popular broadcasting website YoutTube.com. The 34 second advertisement presents several individuals of generation Y expressing why they consider themselves unique, followed by a list of Yahoo’s applications and the slogan ‘Generation Y! Free to be unique. Your life engine is waiting…’. The popular notion that generation Y are highly individualistic is used in this advertisement to attract this group to the product, portraying it as being able to give people the ability to be unique.
 * [|Generation Yahoo] **
 * Cultural Artefact **

The public health issue examined in this analysis will be the concern of increasing mental health issues of generation Y. A rise in mental illness has been associated with the youth known as generation Y in comparison to previous generation such as generation X and the baby boomers (AIHW, 2011). These issues will be examined with regard to the generation’s consumer behaviour and the importance of individualism to this group. These are important issues in relation to mental health, as companies promote their product by means of making individuals believe the product will make them a better person (Kasser, 2002). This may lead to consumer-obsession as well as anxiety and depression when an individual is unable to afford products that they believe will represent their individuality in some form. This is shown in the applicable literature below. Generation Y has been a popular focus group for many recent studies. The health and wellbeing of generation Y has been examined by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2011) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2007). Both institutes examined the level of mental health among people aged 12-24 during the time of the reports and concluded that there was a serious concern for the prevalence of mental health disorders among young people. While the prevalence of mental health disorders is currently 26%, with 9% reporting high to very high levels of psychological stress (AIHW, 2011). Research conducted by the ABS (2007) supported this and also indicated that anxiety disorders were the most common and substance abuse disorders were also higher among this age group compared to other age groups.
 * Public Health Issue **
 * Literature Review **

The national health strategy identifies mental illness amongst young people to be a priority public health area.Adolescence and young adulthood are periods of critical development, both socially and emotionally (AIHW,2011). During these are transitional periods, youth move towards independence and begin making critical decisions (Eckersley, 2007). Mental health disorders are most prevalent during this transitional age and the national health survey from the department of health and aging (2004) concludes that it accounts for 55% of the disease burden of those aged 15-24, correlating with Eckersley’s suggestion of 49% (1999) and the AIHW’s suggestion that it accounts for almost 50% (AIHW,2003). While the government organisations such as AIHW, the Australian department of Health and Ageing and the Australian Bureau of Statistics provide significant statistics regarding the burden of mental health among generation Y, there is little in the way of evidence in regard to the impact of media, materialism and the change in cultural values that have been seen in recent decades. They are more focussed on the socio-economic status of young people and their families which is of course very important but not the primary issue of this article. There is a rising concern that the growth of a consumer-rich society is having an influence on the mental health and wellbeing of generation Y. Richard Eckersley, an Australian social analyst has studied the characteristics of generation Y and has written many articles on the health and wellbeing of this group. Eckersley determines that young people of the Western society have become immersed in the idea of being individualistic and that this creates a rise in their expectations that still fail to satisfy even when obtained. When satisfaction is not met there are feelings of despair, emptiness and worthlessness and this is why consumerism has become so prominent within this generation – to try and gain a satisfaction that is inevitably unobtainable (Eckersley, 2007).

According to Williams and Page (2011) generation Y individuals receive a considerable amount of marketing attention as they can be known for being selfish, big spenders and are less inclined to worry about future financial issues. Growing up during a time of constant change and technological advancement generation Y are accustomed to having the freedom of choice and access to both quality and quantity of products. Williams and Page indicate the most successful ways that marketers should promote their products to young people, encouraging them to constantly update and adjust their product or service due to the generations desire to keep up-to-date and their ability to lose interest very quickly, even when there was an immense desire to purchase the product (Williams & Page, 2011). Increasing materialism among generation Y has been associated with the increase in media access and a change in media content that now promotes excessive consumerism and the lifestyle of extremely wealthy individuals, creating desires and false ideals among generation Y (Eckersley, 2007).

Eckersley and Dear (2002) state that the media aims to promote highly individualistic, consumer lifestyles as being compatible with strong families and social cohesion. This further increases pressure on young people as they feel that the consumption-based lifestyle will improve them in some way. They explain that the increasing complexity of life has made it extremely hard for individual’s to find meaning and qualities within themselves and that this is especially so for young people who are undergoing developmental journeys. A growing proportion of young Australians feel that the overall quality of life is declining with the belief that the gap between what to expect in the future and the preferred future is widening (Eckersley & Dear, 2002). Maybe this is due to the continuous exposure to materialistic lifestyles in the media rather than the promotion of community and social cohesion? Research suggests that materialism and consumerism are powerful factors in the development of dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, anger and alienation (Kasser, 2002)

In another of Eckersley’s research articles he explains that little emphasis is being placed on a close network based around family and community as it once was for those of the baby boomer generation and to an extent generation X. More emphasis is now placed on a globalised community that is represented as progressive and a pathway to further opportunity economically, socially and culturally (Eckersley, 2002). Hamilton (2006) implies in his article that there has been a breakdown of the distinction between ordinary goods consumed by everybody and luxury goods consumed only by the wealthy. Consumption is no longer about survival or satisfying our common needs but has become a way of creating a sense of individuality. Hamilton’s article also demonstrates that there is an increasing amount of persuasion involved in the selling of products which are often portrayed to increase individuality of a person and are a form of self-expression. This supports Eckersley’s perception of the marketing mechanisms stated above that suggests there is a desire among young people to be individualistic and they feel that materialistic consumption will accomplish this.

Mental health among young people, particularly generation Y is an important public health concern because of the significant rise in mental illness when compared to previous generations of this same age (AIHW, 2007) Finding the reasons behind this generational change is the first step to building strategies to decrease the burden of mental illness among this group. It is important to remember that symptoms of mental illness not only affect the individual, they also affect the lives of those close to them such as friends, family and on a larger scale the community.
 * Social and Cultural analysis **

Durkhiem’s theory of suicide is appropriate to consider when discussing the prevalence of mental illness in today’s society. According to Durkhiem (1997), suicide is not an individual act but one that was linked to social structures. Firstly, Durkhiem had two key concepts in relation to the solidarity of a community. The first is ‘mechanical solidarity’ which relates to a society that had similar ideas, attitudes and expectations that were integrated in their work and lives. The second concept, ‘Organic solidarity’ relates more to individuals performing their own tasks and having individual expectations and attitudes but still rely on others within the society to perform as well; if this reliance on other people to perform breaks down then it can have effects not only on the community but on the individual(Holmes, 2005). Testing his theories on different societies he was able to conclude that there were several reasons for suicide. The types that are specifically related to this article are ‘anomic’ and ‘egoistic’ suicide. Anomie refers to a condition of either and individual or a community that is characterised by breakdown or a lack of social norms and values (dictionary.com, 2011) Anomic suicide relates to feelings of disturbance and a lack of regulation by the individual during times of social change; they may feel confused and helpless by changes that are occurring around them. (Durkhiem, 1997)

In today’s Western society change is ironically constant. Much of this has been considered a step forward, but applying Durkhiem’s theory of anomic suicide, the increasing pressure to keep up with change causes pressure and feelings of helplessness among people (Holmes, 2005)) Williams et al.as generation Y in comparison to previous generation such as generation X and the baby boomersin, particularly people of generation Y who are currently undertaking significant personal changes associated with moving from adolescence to adulthood (Fresh, 2007).

Egoistic suicide relates to a person’s sense of not belonging or having no integration within their community (Holmes, 2005). Durkhiem made this connection by comparing married and unmarried individuals, finding that those who were unmarried and had less social connections had a higher prevalence of suicide than those who were married. Durkhiem (1951) also argues that this type of suicide is a result of “excessive indivuation” which refers to an individuals increased detachment from other people within their community. Another likely reason that this continuous change may affect generation Y more prominently is how they are targeted by the media (Williams & Page, 2011). Generation Y are typically expected to be up to date with technology and social norms (Fresh, 2007). Advertisements are aimed directly towards generation Y in an attempt to lure them in by the false pretence that they are an important group who are ready for whatever is new (Kasser, 2002). Different forms of technology have increased the individual’s ability to access media and social networks (Fresh, 2007). This can initially make someone feel they have gained membership and a sense of cohesion with the global community, but the speed at which products and services are abandoned and upgraded can reduce the individuals trust and their loyalty to particular products (Williams and Page, 2011). Furthermore, companies are becoming ruthless in their attempt to use media to market products to a generation they know are swamped with alternative choices. The lack of censorship in advertising is shown in the use of violence, sex and fame to market products; even advertisements aimed at age groups of higher maturity are easily accessible by younger generations through media strategies such as using the internet to market products (Hamilton, 2006).

Considering these issues, the awareness of mental illness among generation Y is required in order to gain an insight into why it is affecting this generation on a much larger scale than previous generations. Individuals suffering from mental illness are not the ones affected by it – families can be torn apart and communities are also at risk of developing socio-economic problems. Considering the information provided, public health experts need to focus on the recent changes that have affected the behaviour of generation Y. The continuous need for individualization among all socioeconomic classes has resulted in stronger barriers between them. This is due to the increased the amount of risk that people are willing to take in order to achieve their goals even if they are financially, mentally of physically incapable of doing so (Eckersley & Dear, 2002).

The issues that have been discussed in this article are represented by the cultural artefact above. People of generation Y have been shown to have a desire to be individualistic (Kasser, 2002). This is shown in the advertisement as each of the young people briefly say why they are unique, for example one girl say that she is unique because she has both Britney Spears and Nine Inch Nails on her music list, and another says that he is unique because he is the biggest baseball fan at his school. Each individual is smiling and proud of their different attributes. They identify these attributes as representative of themselves (Shimanohuff, 2007). Generation Y are also considered to be obsessed with consumerism (Williams & Page, 2011). The fact that this artefact is an advertisement for a popular internet company signifies this. As each individual in the advertisement discusses their passions and interests a slideshow of how they access their interests are played such as websites, mobile phones and other forms of media. It implies that these ‘unique’ people have been able to accomplish this through the use of such materialistic devices. This is followed by a large slogan of Yahoo and a brief slideshow of what applications are available to use, followed by the words ‘free to be unique’ (Shimanohuff, 2007). This company has used this groups craving for uniqueness to advertise their product to them, implying that if they access the Yahoo website, they will be able to express their own uniqueness. As a member of Generation Y, watching this advertisement made me laugh. I felt that the use of such emotive music and such inspirational words from the people displayed were a little extreme for what was being advertised – after all how much could an emailing website possibly give somebody the ability to express their individuality? After reading some of the comments left by other individuals who had viewed the short piece I learnt I was not alone in this opinion, but maybe this is also indicative of the way us generation Yers have a tendency to not want to be put in one category – and therefore showing our craving for individualism – which is what this advertisement and many others tend to do.
 * Analysis of the cultural artefact **

Anomie. (n.d.). (2011) //Dictionary.com Unabridged//. Random House Inc. Retrieved from []
 * References **

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007a). //National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results//, Australia: ABS Retrieved from: [|__http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/4326.0Main%20Features22007?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=4326.0&issue=2007&num=&view__] =

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007b). //Mental Health of Young People,// Canberra: ABS Retrieved from: []

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2011). //Young Australians: Their Health and Wellbeing 2011//, Canberra: AIHW Retrieved from: []

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2003) Australia’s Young People 2003: Their health and wellbeing, Canberra: AIHW Retrieved from: []

Department of Health and Aging. (2004). //Responding to the Mental Health needs of Young People in Australia: discussion paper, principles and strategies//. Canberra: Department of Health and Aging. Retrieved from: []

Durkhiem, E. (1951) //Suicide: A study in sociology.// In Simpson, G. & Spaulding, J. (Eds.) New York: Simon & Schuster: The Free Press.

Durkheim, E. (1997). The Division of Labor in Society. Trans. Lewis A. Coser. New York: Free Press. 39 -108.

Eckersley, R. (1999). What the !#&* have values got to do with anything! Young people,youth culture and well-being//.// Australian Youth Subcultures: On the Margins and in the Mainstream//, Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies//, Hobart, Tasmania. 209-221.

Eckersley & Dear (2002) Cultural correlates of youth suicide. //Social Science and Medicine//, //55//(11), 1891-1904

Eckersley, R. (2007). Young people's wellbeing and the contemporary search for meaning. //Journal of Religious Education//, //55//(1), 41-44.

Eckersley, R. (2009). The health and well-being of young Australians: Patterns, trends, explanations and responses. //Challenges in Adolescent Health: An Australian perspective//. New York: Nova Science, 3-19.

Fresh. (2007) //Let’s Talk About Generation Y//. McRindle Research: ABS Retrieved from: []

Hamilton, C. (2006) The Intensification of Consumerism and Reactions Against It. Demography and Sociology Program: The Australian Institute. Retrieved from: []

Holmes, R & Holmes, S. (2005) //Suicide: Theory, Practice and Investigation//. London: Sage Publications

Kasser, T. (2002). //The High Price of Materialism//. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Williams, K. & Page, R. (2011) Marketing to the Generations. //Journal of behavioural studies in business.// Jacksonville. //3//: 1-17

= = =**__REFLECTION TASK__**= **Student:** Chrisotpher Ng **Student Number:** n7688687 **Tutor:** Judith Meiklejohn
 * __1.__**
 * __ 'Are you living your life, or are you living someone else's life?' Gen Y and Body Dissatisfaction __**

I feel that the artifact you have chosen conveys a strong message and correlates very well to your chosen topic. The fact that this artifact covered a wide range of mental health issues is great. I particularly found the information that you uncovered in your literature review regarding the mental health of homosexual males with regard to body image and low self-esteem a very interesting topic, it sounds like there is a strong need for much more awareness in this area. I can imagine that in studying the different aspects of your chosen topic you gained a deep insight into these important social issues.

__2.__
__**It's bad enough that people are dying of AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance' - Elizabeth Taylor (actress)**__ Roslyn Cochrane (n8289247)Tutor: Judith Meiklejohn Wow! I'm with you on one of your closing comments - I didn't realise that HIV/AIDS was still a public health issue of concern but by the thorough research you have shown in your literature review it is a true eye opener! I also found the point relating to the three most likely reasons for having unprotected sex both diturbing and a strong indication that young people are not responding to the government initiatives that promote engaging in protected sex. Your article was very engaging and has certainly encouraged me to do some further research on HIV/AIDS in Australia. Cheers!