Is+the+price+we+pay+for+consumer-obsession+and+individualism+worth+it?

** Toni Perry ** **Student Number**: n8310467 **Tutor Name**: Sarah Jordan **Topic:** Is Generation Y too 'individualistic' and 'consumer-obsessed'? What is the mental health of this generation like?

“Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new” -Henry David Thoreau

media type="file" key="Confessions-of-a-Shopaholic-(HD-Trailer)[www.savevid.com].flv" width="420" height="420" align="left" ** Artefact ** This trailer is from a movie released in 2009, ‘ Confessions of a Shopaholic’. The movie stars Rebecca Bloomwood in the glamorous world of New York City who is hopelessly addicted to shopping, and is drowning in a sea of debt (Nitrolicious, 2011). Whilst still in this crisis, she is hired as an advice columnist for a new financial magazine and becomes an overnight celebrity for her suspected financial knowledge and superb advice. However, her love life and career are threatened by her c ompulsive shopping and growing debt, forcing Rebecca to evaluate her materialistic and consumer-obsessed lifestyle.

“I love new clothes. If everyone could just wear new clothes everyday, I reckon depression wouldn’t exist anymore" (Rebecca Bloomwood, as cited by Goodreads, 2011).

** Public Health Issue ** The artefact represents the consumer-obsession that is distinctively characterised in Generation Y; however this essay will also discuss the psychological shift of individualism and the increase of mental illness in Generation Y. It will critically analyse the impact of individualism and consumer-obsession on Generation Y and investigate other factors that may contribute to the poor mental health of this generation. With Gen Y being most commonly defined as those born between 1980 and 1995, accounting for the largest demographic group in Australia (Thomson, 2009), the prevention and management of mental health illness is evidently an enormous public health issue.

**Literature Review** According to Mindframe (2011), a mental illness is a diagnosable condition that significantly interferes with an individual’s cognitive, emotional or social abilities. In 2007, mental illness accounted for 55% of the total burden of disease for ages 15-24 (McGorry, P., Purcell, R., Hickie, I., & Jorm, A., 2007), making it the leading contributor to the total burden of disease and injury compared to any other condition within this age group (Department of Health and Aging, 2009). In 2009, the financial cost of mental illness in people aged 12-25 years was $10.6 billion, with the majority due to loss in productivity resulting from low employment, absenteeism and premature death (Orygen Youth Health, 2009). Evidently, the issue of mental health in Australia needs to be addressed before these figures rise further.

At the present moment, there are multiple organisations that are actively providing services and support to people suffering from mental illness in Australia. However, there are several issues reducing the efficiency of these services. One of these is sufficient funding, which causes programs to be less effective and struggling to deliver an integrated service response based around the individual’s needs. Another issue is the stigma associated with mental illness which can cause people to only seek help when they are at their most vulnerable. According to the National Mental Health Reform (2011), “this nation’s mental health system fails the people who need the most help and frustrates the professionals who work in the system and the families and carers who work hard to support them.” However, with the issue on the rise, mental health is becoming a priority to the Australian Government as it is a critically burdening issue that has a profound effect on multiple facets of society’s functioning.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">These rising mental illness rates could be due to increased rates of parental separation, divorce and job insecurity which have dominated Generation Y (ABS, 2006). Generation Y have experienced interest rate rises and increased petrol prices, increasing housing costs, and rising crime rates. They have observed their parents get the rewards of hard work such as houses, cars, and material wealth. The fact that both parents work outside the home has made Gen Y more self-sufficient, responsible, and mature than any other generation (The Gale Group, 2008). Yet they have seen the costs of their parents’ success in terms of broken marriages, absentee parenting and an epidemic of stress related illness (McCrindle, n.d). As the most ethnically and socially diverse cohort, Gen Y loathe stereotyping and demand to be treated as individuals. However, individualism itself can be considered a contributing factor to the poor mental health of Generation Y.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Socialised into consuming much earlier than previous generations, Gen Y exert the greatest influence on fashion and popular cultural trends, and are soon to become the most dominant demographic across those categories. With more choice than any other generation, Gen Y has been, and continues to be, growing up in a media-saturated and very brand conscious world (Daniels, 2007). Gen Y generally have no financial commitments, thus over 70% of their income is spent carelessly, with the majority spent on entertainment, travel and food (McCrindle, n.d.). They are a generation addicted to change and constant activity and are often described as consumer-obsessed. However, their desire to consume can be a problem; a Commonwealth bank survey from 2007 showed 73% of Gen Y were in debt. Another survey by employment group Manpower found 54% single; 16% still at home and 57% were renters (Patterson, 2007).

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">These consumers characteristically have a wide-reaching social network that influences their buying decisions, and demand the latest trends in record time. They are more inclined to shop with friends, spend more time browsing through stores and chatting, ultimately treating the experience as a social activity (Daniels, 2007). While previous generations made decisions influenced by authority figures and data and facts, Generation Y are more likely to make a decision based on the influence of their own peers (McCrindle, n.d.). According to McCrindle (n.d.), rather than making independent decisions based on core values, Generation Y live in a culture encouraging them to embrace community values, and to reach consensus. Research shows that while they spend most of their spare time with their peers, they often fail to experience real unconditional love, and connection with them. They work hard to live up to what their peers expect of them, and their self-esteem often rests on how well regarded they are in their group or sub-culture (McCrindle, n.d.).

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Eckersley (2006) defines materialism as attaching importance or priority to money and possessions, and can also be equated with consumerism or consumer-obsession. Many psychological studies have shown that materialism is associated “not with happiness, but with dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, anger, isolation, and alienation" (Eckersley, 2006). Through the work of media-marketing companies, the goal becomes not only to make people dissatisfied with what they have, but also with whom they are (Eckersley, 2006). Material objects are being seen as a sign of identity, encouraging consumerism in the hope that one may feel more fulfilled, hence creating false values and beliefs.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The largest psychological shift in the last few decades has concerned the movement toward focusing on the individual. Eckersley (2006), describes individualism as placing the individual at the centre of a framework of values, norms and beliefs and celebrating personal freedom and choice. He states the individualised life has a range of consequences including a heightened sense of risk, uncertainty and insecurity; a lack of clear frames of reference; a rise in personal expectations, reduced social connectedness and support and diminishing personal control (Eckersley, 2006). According to Twenge (2009), individualism has had many advantages: “individual rights of women and minorities recognised, differences among individuals are more accepted and prejudice has waned; and parents nurture children’s individual wants and are less likely to rely on harsh discipline”. However, there are also disadvantages of too much individualism and self-focus. One of the disadvantages is caused by Gen Y being repeatedly told by parents, teachers, and TV programs they can achieve absolutely anything, with statements such as “believe in yourself and anything is possible”. This can cause individuals to become ‘too ambitious’ and set goals that may not be achievable, especially at times when competition for jobs and access to higher education has never been tougher (Craig, 2006). This can lead to increased frustration as the person may realise they are unlikely to attain the success they hoped for, thus developing mental health problems such as anxiety, stress and depression.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Twenge found that not only is Generation Y more individualistic, but also record higher rates of narcissism. With only 12% of teenagers in the early 1950s agreeing with the statement 'I am an important person,' approaching the late 1980s this had risen to 80% (Craig, 2006). “Narcissists are overly focused on themselves, find it difficult to empathise with others, often manipulate others to achieve their goals and can be very hostile, if not downright aggressive, if they do not get the respect they think they are due” (Twenge, 2006). As a result of these traits narcissists often find it difficult to sustain relationships with others. Young people are much more lonely and isolated than before, with the numerous cases of collapsed dating, later marriage and higher divorce rate this generation brings (Twenge, 2006, as cited in Craig, 2006). Twenge believes that young people pay dearly for their values of independence, freedom and putting themselves first. She writes: "I often feel that many of us are one breakup, or one move away from depression – our roots are not deep enough, our support system too shallow" (Twenge, 2006, cited in Craig, 2006).

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">// “One of the strangest things about modern life is the expectation that we will stand alone, negotiating breakups, moves, divorces, and all manner of heartbreak that previous generations were careful to avoid. This may be the key to the low rate of depression among older generations: despite all the deprivation and war they experienced, they could always count on each other” (Twenge, 2006). //

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Cultural and social analysis** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">//“Cultures bring order and meaning to our lives. Of all species, we alone require a culture to make life worth living, to give us a sense of purpose, identity and belonging- personally, socially, and spiritually – and a framework of values to guide our actions (Eckersley, 2006)”.//

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The prevention and reduction of mental illness rates would be a very complex task requiring more than one simple action area. Each generation lives through different experiences, different economic, social, and political conditions which unite and shape a generation. Generational shifts in attitudes have been observed and different generations are said to have different perspectives on world events. Some of this could be due to media and pop culture filling their life. Research done by McCrindle (n.d.) found the most popular song of the 1940’s was Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas”, 1950’s was Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock”, and for the 60’s it was the Beatles “I want to hold your hand”. For Generation Y, examples of popular music include the dark lyrics of Eminem, best-sellers from Lady Gaga, with one of her number one hits “Born this way”, along with Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl”, showing a very confronting, socially aware, and accepting culture when compared to previous generations. Ultimately, to fully understand Generation Y, the societal and cultural factors acting on the life they dwell in would have to be acknowledged. This can be explained by a saying which bears much truth, “men resemble their times more than they resemble their fathers” (Craig, 2006).

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The cultures of societies are underestimated determinants of their population health and well-being, and materialism and individualism dominating modern Western cultures are detrimental to health through their impacts on psychosocial factors such as personal control and social support (Eckerlsey, 2006). According to Rich & Isacsson (1997, as cited in Elder, Evans, and Nizette, 2009), approximately 40-60% of people who commit suicide are or have recently been in a depressive episode. Social theorist Emile Durkheim believed that individuals are products of society, and that society has various characteristics that go beyond the individual, and cannot be explained by individual behaviour (Bartle, 2011). He explored the social bonds of integration and regulation and studied how they differed in societies. Today, suicide is a huge issue with the average number of people dying each year in Australia being 2,100 cases (Mindframe National Media Initiative, 2011). With the large societal shift of individualism in the last few decades, Durkheim believed that an individualised culture is related a low degree of social integration, where people may feel a sense of meaningless in their lives, and unrestrained pursuits of individual interest may lead to strong personal dissatisfaction (unknown, 1999).

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">As mentioned previously, Generation Y have observed their parents get the rewards of hard work such as houses, cars, and material wealth, and have seen the costs of their parents’ success in terms of broken marriages, absentee parenting and an epidemic of stress related illness. With 73% of Generation Y currently in debt (Patterson, 2007), their high levels of narcissism will not get them out of a situation such as this one. Perhaps in time, each person belonging to Generation Y will experience a crisis just as Rebecca Bloomwood did, forcing upon them the evaluation of their consumer-obsessed and materialistic lifestyle, and decide whether or not it's worth the price that is paid after all.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Learning reflections and analysis of artefact** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">At stated earlier, my artefact represents mainly the consumer-obsession that is distinctively characterised in Generation Y. I feel it is definitely something many of us ladies could relate to, perhaps on a much smaller scale of Rebecca Bloomwood. Personally, I can admit to cutting down on groceries and shopping specifically for ‘Home-Brand’ weeks at a time to afford a few pieces of Napoleon Perdis makeup and that cute little dress from Princess Polly that I just couldn’t see myself without.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The following quote by Rebecca Bloomwood was one that summed her character up perfectly: “I love new clothes. If everyone could just wear new clothes every day, I reckon depression wouldn’t exist anymore” (Goodreads, 2011). I know when I am strutting a new outfit I feel as if nothing could bring me down, however I know this is a vicious cycle which gets me time and time again. “When I shop, the world gets better, and the world is better, but then it's not, and I need to do it again” (Rebecca Bloomwood, cited by IMDb, 2011). This relates to the section in my literature review which discuses consumer-obsession and how the fundamental aim of media-marketing companies is not only to make people dissatisfied with what they have, but also with whom they are (Eckersley, 2006). This false expectation of being fulfilled //if only// we had a specific accessory is nothing but a gloomy delusion.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">As a contemporary Generation Y member, I have learnt much as a result of this assessment piece. I have been able to think a little more deeply on what my core values and beliefs are and why this may be so. Prior to this assessment I would praise the fact that in Australia we can be as individualistic as we like and the majority of us have the freedom to choose our affiliations with various religious and spiritual groups. However, after researching this topic I now know that in some cases this may be the reason many of us become lost in our journeys with a lack of guidance and direction in life. I would also like to explain to the next elderly person who grumbles about how different our generation has become, derided as being fickle, always texting, too self-focused, too young to be doing that, spending too much money, too spoilt, too wild, too ambitious, too social, too enthusiastic – whatever they may say, the reality is that we only reflect our times we have lived, and we all learn from our own personal experiences, no matter what shape or form they may come.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: center;">**References:** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006). //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">A picture of the Nation: The statistician’s Report on the 2006 Census. // Retrieved October 28, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Bartle, P.(2011).Emile Durkheim//<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">. // Retrieved October 29, 2011 from http://www.scn.org/cmp/modules/soc-dur.htm

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Craig, C (2006). Twenge’s critique of self-esteem. Retrieved October 30, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Daniels, S.(2007).Gen Y Considerations for the Retail Industry. Retrieved November 1, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Department of Health and Ageing. (2009). ResponseAbility: Mental illness facts and statistics. Retrieved September 2, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Eckersley, Richard (2006). "Is modern Western culture a health hazard?". //International journal of epidemiology//, 35 (2), p. 252-259.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Elder R., Evans, K., Nizette, D.(2009).//Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (2nd Ed).//Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier Australia.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Goodreads(2011)Sophie Kinsella Quotes. Retrieved November 1, 2011 on []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">IMDb(2011)Quotes for Rebecca Bloomwood. Retrieved November 1, 2011 on []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">McCrindle, M(n.d.)Understanding Generation Y. Retrieved October 20, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">McGorry, P., Purcell, R., Hickie, I., & Jorm, A. (2007). Investing in youth mental health is best buy. //Medical Journal of Australia, 187//(7), 5-7. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Mindframe National Media Initiative (2011). Mental illness facts. Retrieved October 27, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Mindframe National Media Initiative(2011). Suicide Facts and Statistics. Retrieved October 27, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">National Mental Health Reform.(2011). Retrieved October 30, 2011 from Australian Government of Health and Aging website from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Nitrolicious Network (2011). Confessions of a Shopaholic Trailer. Retrieved October 28, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Orygen Youth Health.(2009).Ten Billion reasons to invest in youth mental health. Retrieved October 22, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Patterson, B (2007). A-Z of Generation Y. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The Gale Group (2008). Generation Y: purchasing power and implications for marketing. Retrieved October 31, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Thomson, J (2009). Gen Y now the largest group in Australian society – here’s how to talk to them. Retrieved October 28, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Twenge, J.M (2009). Generational changes and their impact in the classroom: teaching Generation Me. //Medical Education, 43//(5), p 398-405.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Unknown.(1999).Social Facts and Suicide//<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">. // Retrieved October 29, 2011 from http://uregina.ca/~gingrich/o26f99.htm

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Learning engagement and reflection** //<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Women in the Sporting Arena - A Long History of Sexual Inequality and Hegemony - Verity Gordon. // <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">I strongly felt your cultural artefact of a gold medal being the first of its kind to be won by an Australian woman was very well suited to your topic, especially alongside the history of Sarah (Fanny) Durack. It made me think how often I forget how far we have come in terms of male and female equality, and how lucky we are to have done so. Looking at the beneficial health effects of sports involvement makes me very grateful for laws such as IX, which you stated was the law prohibiting sexual discrimination and has increased female participation members, even if they aren’t as effective as one could hope. I have always taken my right to play sport for granted, and don’t often think about the hard work of women who worked hard for our right all those years ago, and am very proud to be where we are today. I couldn’t imagine a life without my right to play sport personally, remembering all the fun times I have had, through the victories and the losses throughout high school, and the fact that the majority of my greatest friends have been made in a sporting team of some sort. I couldn’t have a done a better job, awesome work!

//<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Mental Health and the affects of Cyber Bullying in Teenage Australians - Brent Compton. // <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">I really liked the structure and main points in the report. I have also done some research on mental health illnesses within my topic, and I find it shocking on how high these rates are. When discussing the dependency of technology amongst teenagers, it’s really not hard to see how true this is- just looking almost anywhere you go. This can be scary especially how you stated that it is now much easier for strangers to get into contact with teenagers, and how education and awareness of the dangers is very important. On the topic of cyber-bullying, I have personally received messages from people that I felt would not have said such things to my face, but much more comfortable just sending them via text or chat. Your artefact was very well suited to your topic, and the lyrics in the song related very well to depression and suicide. It is very fortunate about the new law in California, that you stated has been introduced to give school officials the power to suspend or expel students who are found guilty of cyber bullying. Some people don’t realise just how serious cyber bullying is. I agree with you fully with more needing to be done to reduce the stigma associated with mental health illnesses for problems to further decrease. It was a very good idea to mention the work of Emile Durkheim, as he has very good points in relation to society. Good work Brent!