A+Culture+of+Excess+-+How+Consumerism+and+Individualism+has+shaped+Generation+Y’s+health+behaviours

Name: Breanne Hosking Student Number: n7557337 Tutor: Jacinda Wilson

He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have. - Socrates (B.C. 469 – 399)

__** Cultural Artefact **__
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(Please Note: Video contains some coarse language) This is a parody of an advertisement for the Apple iPhone 4 that was uploaded to the popular video sharing website YouTube by user “thecussingchannel” on May 9th 2011. The original advertisement from Apple (which can be found [|here]) poses the question of what happens if you do not have an iPhone and therefore lack access to its associated convenience-oriented products such as the “App Store.” The parody, using the video of the original advertisement dubbed with different audio, seeks to answer this question in a very different way, labelling anyone who does not own an iPhone as “poor or a loser." This video has over two hundred and fifty thousand views and has been featured on Reddit.com.

__ **The Public Health Issue** __ Generation Y have grown up in economically prosperous times where rapid increases in technology and the spread of globalisation have made a world of information, experiences and products available at the touch of a button, normalising instant gratification in modern society. This upbringing of Gen Y has fostered a consumerist tendency toward excess that makes them one of the largest consumer markets in the world today. This is a significant public health issue as this entrenched attitude toward overindulgence and overconsumption has also spilled over into Generation Y’s health behaviours, with excessive consumption of food and alcohol considered the norm among many young Australians (NSW Office of Drug Policy, 2003). Given that there are four million people in Australia’s Generation Y population (Queensland Tourism Council, 2007), these behaviours have dire implications for the health of many and thus, require greater critical analysis which forms the purpose of this essay.

__ **Literature Review** __

When considering Generation Y, is it firstly important to define the years which constitute this generation, a topic that has garnered much debate over the years. For the sake of clarity, the definition of generational social theorists William Strauss and Neil Howe shall be applied; that is, that Generation Y consists of those born between 1982 and 2000 (Howe & Nadler, 2008). This population has many defining characteristics; they have grown up in a time of great transition, with technology, globalisation, cultural diversity, ultra securing parenting and economic prosperity considered the norm (Mosier, 2001; Howe & Nadler, 2008). This rather cosseted and indulged upbringing has fostered Generation Y’s tendency toward individualism and consumerism that has encouraged many excessive consumption behaviours, including risky health behaviours such as binge drinking and overeating.

This normalisation of excess consumption, formed from a highly individualistic, globalised and consumerist society, can be seen in the increased social acceptability of excessive alcohol consumption and binge drinking behaviours among Generation Y. A survey of the alcohol consumption habits of Australians was conducted by the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation. Data collection was performed using an online questionnaire on the attitudes and behaviours regarding the alcohol consumption of a cohort of over one thousand Australians across generations, with results weighted by age, gender and region based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data. The results of this survey found that 21% of Australian Gen Y’s over the legal drinking age (that is, those aged 18-29) consume six or more standard drinks on one occasion and that most Gen Y’s (61%) drink with the intention of getting drunk.

This is vastly different to their Baby Boomer counterparts, of whom only 8% drink six or more standard drinks on a single occasion and only 15% drink to get drunk, a practice which is performed only half as often per week as Gen Y’s (7% to 14%) (Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation, 2011). From this it is evident that there has been a drastic shift in attitudes towards alcohol consumption between these generations: from alcohol as a beverage to be consumed casually in small amounts (Baby Boomers) towards large amounts of alcohol consumed on single occasions (Generation Y). This is not an isolated occurrence, with other Western countries such as England and the United States of America also recording similar increases in the Generation Y age group (National Health and Social Care Information Centre, 2010; Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). These results reflect how the social acceptability of alcohol consumption, especially excessive behaviours such as binge drinking, has become an engrained aspect of Generation Y’s social identity.

Although the age groups included in the data vary, the general trend in the increase of excessive alcohol behaviours is also reflected in data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The AIHW’s 2011 report on the health and wellbeing of young Australians is a culmination of national statistics on the physical and mental health of this population and has found that 44% of those aged 18-24 engage in risky or high risk level drinking behaviours that can result in short-term harm, with 12% that drink at levels that may cause long-term harm. It is this sort of high risk alcohol consumption that leads to a significant number of alcohol-related hospital admissions each year, with an estimated 72 000 people admitted as a result of high risk drinking annually (NSW Office of Drug Policy, 2003). Given the short and long term health risks associated with these excessive drinking behaviours and the burden placed on the healthcare system, alcohol misuse will remain a prominent public health issue for this generation into the future.

The overconsumption of alcohol is not the only problem facing Generation Y, with the overconsumption of food also becoming a common occurrence in Western culture. A number of structural factors including globalisation, the increase in labour-saving technologies and a culture of convenience have led to the obesogenic environment that Generation Y now live in. Globalisation of the food system and increased technologies in food production have increased the availability of many foods, most especially those of high energy density such as prepacked and highly refined products, as well as an increase in portion sizes (Harvard Health Publications, 2011). As seen in Figure 1, the serving sizes of fast food restaurants has increased dramatically to include a greater variety of larger size options in recent years, enabling Gen Y’s to access even larger quantities of food in this setting than ever before (Harvard Health Publications, 2011). Due to time constraints and the importance placed on convenience in modern society, more people consume food away from the home, with this food generally involving more energy dense and processed items such as fast food (Lee, 2007). Further studies have shown a correlation between dollars per person spent on food away from the home and incidence of obesity (French, Gerlach, Mitchell, Hannah & Welsh, 2011).



Not only is Generation Y consuming more energy dense foods in larger portion sizes but fruit and vegetable consumption among young Australians is also drastically low. According to the AIHW (2011), only 5% of young Australians met the National Dietary Guidelines’ recommended intake of both fruit and vegetables. As well as this, the highly sedentary lifestyle of Gen Y due to labour-saving technologies (for example, use of cars for transport) and the increase in sedentary leisure activities (for example, video games) result in a decrease in physical activity, with only 44% of young Australians achieving the National Physical Activity guidelines (AIHW, 2011). The impact of these factors on the consumption patterns of young Australians can be seen in the prevalence of unhealthy weight ranges, with over one third (35%) of Australian Gen Y’s currently overweight or obese (AIHW, 2011).

However, it is important to note that while Generation Y share many similar characteristics, it is not a homogenous group. There remain vast differences in the health status of Gen Y’s in Australia, especially in Indigenous, rural and low socioeconomic group; the public health issues affecting these groups transcend generational divides and represent much larger social issues.

__ **Social/Cultural Analysis** __

Generation Y are arguably the most individualistic, commercialised and materialistic generation the world has ever seen; globalisation, the rise in technology and internet access, the economic prosperity of their youth, their exposure to advertising since infancy as well as their upbringing by Baby Boomer parents (that is, the luxury and freedom afforded by having both parents in the workforce for the first time) have earned Generation Y the label of the “first genuine consumer generation” (Huntley, 2006, p. 144).

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">When considering public health issues that relate to excessive behaviours such as binge drinking and overeating, a clear link can be seen between unhealthy behaviours and overconsumption. Jean Baudrillard’s work on the consumer society allows a greater insight into the motivations behind consumption. According to Baudrillard (1998), the consumption of materials is not a fulfilment of needs (a concept he refutes entirely) but rather a collective action in which the individual is mutually affected by other consumers. He argues that it is in this way that particular socially accepted consumption behaviours are used as a form of communication within the social group, with failure to conform to these behaviours considered anti-social behaviour. Through the application of this concept to Generation Y’s health behaviours it can be seen how significant consumerism can result in the normalisation of excessive consumption as an acceptable social behaviour. Examples of the normalisation and, in extreme cases, glamorisation of excessive consumption of food and alcohol and excessive health behaviours can be seen throughout popular culture (such as Ke$ha’s [|“Tik Tok”] and Taio Cruz’s[| “Hangover”]).

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">In his book, //The Consumer Society: Myths & Structures//, Baudrillard (1998) asserts that the democratic nature of modern Western society has increased individualism as democracy empowers the individual with rights and expectations of society. This individualism has shifted the meaning of happiness to the point where the consumer values only the external manifestation of happiness through the acquisition of material possessions (Baudrillard, 1998). Thus, in their highly consumerist and materialistic upbringing, Generation Y has been taught that happiness lies in outwardly displayed consumption. This encouragement to consume has resulted in a simple equation: greater consumption equals greater happiness; a mentality that further fuels Generation Y’s need for instant gratification in a culture where excess is standard. This becomes relevant to health behaviours when the perception that the more food or alcohol consumed, the greater positive feeling will result.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">It is in these ways that consumerism and intense individualism has developed a culture of excess and instant gratification that encourages overconsumption. Through the enforcement of this message excessive health behaviours such as binge drinking and overeating are normalised and become acceptable behaviours within Gen Y’s social identity.

__ **Artefact Analysis** __

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Globalisation, the rise of the technological age and the increasingly individualistic nature of Western society has developed a world in which material possessions are a more integral part of self-identity and self-worth than ever before; a place where the acquisition of these materials creates a culture of excess so extravagant that this mentality spills over into health behaviours, including overeating and binge drinking. This video demonstrates the polarising nature of consumerism where idealised products such as the iPhone can divide society into two groups: those with, and those without. This segregation reinforces the ideal that material possessions denote wealth and success; thus, further encouraging consumerism and excessive, individualistic behaviours.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Its high product turnover, associated social perception of wealth and prestige (the “cool” factor) and targeted marketing campaigns make Apple products, particularly the iPhone, an iconic representation of the factors that fuel Generation Y’s excessive consumption. In general, Apple’s marketing campaigns (such as the popular [|“Mac vs PC” advertisements]) are targeted at individualistic consumers like Generation Y, who see material possessions as an expression of their individuality and own empowered and informed choice when in reality consumer purchases are more a collective action that is influenced by other consumers (Baudrillard, 1998) and even more strongly by advertising (Kilbourne, 2006).

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">I personally chose this artefact because I feel it is an accurate representation of the effects of consumerism and individualism on Generation Y and highlights the hypocrisy that exists within the consumer society. The high product turnover of items like the iPhone, where frequent releases and “upgrades” of products make obsolesce inevitable, serves only to make excess consumption an ingrained aspect of life. It is no wonder then that this mentality has similarly affected the health behaviours of Generation Y.

__ **Learning Reflections** __

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Research into this topic as well as viewing the work of other students has made me realise the extent to which structural factors influence the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of populations and the importance of the application of critical analysis regarding sociological and anthropological factors affecting public health. It has also engrained the importance of considering these factors in all levels of the health care system, which is especially relevant as I endeavour to be a health care professional in a clinical setting.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">On a more personal level it had also given me a deeper understanding of the social and cultural influences on my own generation (Generation Y) and has made me more aware of the impact this has on my own beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. Especially through researching Baudrillard’s work on consumerism, I have come to realise how I am influenced by various structural factors and how my participation in this consumerist society and consumption behaviours have affected my own perceptions on health behaviours.

__References__
<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation. (2011). Annual alcohol poll: Community attitudes and behaviours. Retrieved October 31, 2011 from [|http://www.pansw.org.au/sites/default/files/public/AER_Foundation_AnnualAlcoholPoll2011[1.pdf]]

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2011). Young Australians: Their health and wellbeing 2011. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Baudrillard, J. (1998). //The consumer society: Myths and structures.// London, England: Sage Publications.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Facts sheets: Binge drinking. Retrieved November 1, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">French, S.A, Gerlach, A.F., Mitchell, N.R., Hannan, P.J. & Welsh, E.M. (2011). Household obesity prevention: Take action – a group-randomised trial. //Obesity 19//(10), 2082-2088. doi: 10.1038/oby.2010.328

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Harvard Health Publications. (2011). Why people become overweight. Retrieved November 1, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Howe,N. & Nadler, R. (2008). Millennials rising. //Leadership for Student Actvities 36//(8), 17-21. Retrieved from [|http][|://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/234981664/fulltextPDF?accountid=13380]

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Huntley, R. (2006). //The world according to Y: The new adult generation.// Sydney, Australia: Allen and Unwin.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Kilbourne, J. (2006). Jesus is a brand of jeans. Retrieved on November 1, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Lee, W.W.R. (2007). An overview of paediatric obesity. //Paediatric Diabetes 8//(9), 76–87. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-5448.2007.00337

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Mosier, R. (2001). Our current generation of college students: The millennials. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">National Health and Social Care Information Centre. (2010). Statistics on alcohol: England, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2011 from []

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">NSW Office of Drug Policy. (2003). NSW alcohol summit. Retrieved November 1, 2011 from [|www.**alcohol**summit.nsw.gov.au/__data/page/4/Paper4.doc]

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Queensland Council of Tourism. (2007). Generation Y profile. Retrieved from [|http://][|www.qtic.com.au/files/generation_y_profile.pdf]

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__ **Reflections on Student Pages** __

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Page:** //'Sport and Feminity Do Not Mix,' says who?// By Emma Howe (n <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">6873278 <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">)

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Comment:** Amazing work!

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Congratulations on a truly amazing wiki Emma! Your artefact perfectly illustrates the sexualisation of female athletes that is unfortunately all too common in our society and offers further evidence of how the media distort the feminine ideal and the disastrous consequences this can have on the mental and physical health of women. You presented some very interesting statistics on the participation of Australian women in competitive sport versus physical activity in comparison to men, which really highlights how much of a male dominated domain competitive sport is. I found your description of the history of female participation sport and the extent to which female exclusion was dictated by religious and social values of the time very interesting, as well as the shocking statistics on the disparity between media coverage of women’s and men’s sport - there is definitely a noticeable neglect by the media here. Very interesting analysis of the influence of social gender constructs on the types of sport women choose to participate in as well as the impact this has on employment opportunities available for females in this area, which is not an angle I had previously considered. Your application of social theory was highly relevant. I particularly found your contrasting analysis of Marxist feminist theory and post-structural feminism in relation to women’s participation and experience of sport very thought-provoking. Congratulations again on a terrific assignment!

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Page:** //'Seriously, R U OK?'// by Glenn Donaldson (n <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">7529554 <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">)

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**Comment:** Great wiki!

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Congratulations on a very good discussion of this topic. I particularly found your discussion on the history of mental illness and the social stigma around this topic very interesting, as well as your analysis of the differences between individualistic and collectivistic cultures and how they impact on the willingness to access mental health services.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">As you mentioned, mental illness is something that occurs across race, culture, gender and age boundaries and I certainly hope that the actions taken by our government in increasing mental health funding and sponsoring campaigns such as R U OK? continue to an even greater extent in the future. Your choice of artefact and analysis of it was very relevant in the context of Australian health.

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