Consumerism+&+Individualism-+The+Effects+on+Mental+Health

**PUB209 ** **The Mental Health of our Consumer Driven and Individualistic Generation ** []
 * Health, Culture & Society **

Name: Loana Mertens Student Number: N8316996 Tutor: Katie Page Lecturer: Julie Ann Carroll Word Count: 2055

This video is a commercial advertising Be Magazine and starring Paris Hilton. Set in magazine headquarters, the clip offers insight into a vapid and consumer driven world. The scene begins with a short woman entering an elevator and offering a greeting to the other, more attractive, employees who deliberately ignore her. The camera cuts to Hilton being dragged towards the elevator by another model as they both try to take hold of a coveted bag. The model manages to escape with the bag into the elevator but, once the elevator doors open a few floors up, Hilton is seen awaiting their arrival and, arms outstretched, shouts “Give me that bag!” The commercial ends with the words “Be: For the now generation.”


 * Public Health Issue **

Raised in a time of economic prosperity and mass globalisation, Generation Y has navigated a time brimming with technological revolutions, easy access to information, media pressure and excessive product placement. How have these changes affected Generation Y more than previous generations? Mental health is positively defined as “a state of emotional and social wellbeing in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively or fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” The mental health of Generation Y is a relevant issue in today’s society with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reporting that “mental health problems and disorders account for the highest burden of disease among young people.” Higher levels of consumerism and individualism experienced in Generation Y as compared to Generation X have been suggested as a plausible explanation.


 * Literature Review **

The high expectations and over ambitiousness of Generation Y to achieve what is cleverly marketed to them may cause mental stress in the pursuit of or failure to meet these ideals. The advertising industry recognises that Generation Y is a buying force to be reckoned with as Simone Daniels of Monash University predicts; “By the year 2015, Gen Y will become the most significant retail spending group in Australia.” An estimate by the Australian government predicts that Generation Y consumers are worth in excess of $4 billion to the Australian economy alone (Griffin, 2006). An apt description of consumerism was offered by Carlisle and Hanson (2007) in saying that consumerism is designed to alleviate our innate desire for happiness. This is exemplified in the instant gratification accompanied with a purchase of designer clothes, gadgets and/or food. Generation Y is often depicted as shallow and brand conscious with an extremely short attention span. Keeping these characteristics in mind, companies and designers must come up with the newest, quickest and best products yet (Schmitt, 2008). In turn, Generation Y demands product information is readily available and a wide array of products to choose from. According to Lifelounge Urban Market Research, Generation Y Australians waste $48 Billion each year on “hedonistic pursuits.” These spending patterns indicate they value their own temporary happiness rather than the happiness of others. Yet, research suggests that “improved levels of individual well-being can be achieved by behaving compassionately towards others” rather than through self indulgence in luxury items (Carlisle & Hanson, 2007). Could the trend towards more aggressive marketing campaigns and materialistic values explain the higher rates of mental illness in Generation Y than Generation X? Abela (2006) reported that individuals who place a high value on materialistic possessions have lower personal wellbeing and psychological health than those who do not. Rather than look for meaning in their lives, Generation Y has sought meaning and identity through possessions and looks. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The 2007 National Survey of Young Australians revealed that body image is the number one concern for adolescents and young adults. The Butterfly Foundation (2009) released statistics stating a two fold increase in eating disorders over the past decade. A recent survey reported that children watch on average 12,000 violent acts, 14,000 sexual references and innuendos and 20,000 advertisements annually (Hill, 2011). This constant bombardment of commercials raises generations to believe they need these products in order to be beautiful, popular, successful and, ultimately, happy. One of the vast discrepancies in this advertising ploy is the link between fast food and the pressure to be thin. Despite the media portraying thin as beautiful, Generation Y views just as many advertisements for fast food. The data shows that obesity rates in children and teens have tripled since the 1980’s (Hill, 2011).This cheap and easy alternative to healthy, nutritious food has lead to an obesity epidemic resulting in a mass of gluttony and self hate. They’re conditioned to eating the fast food yet think of it as a guilty pleasure and the weight gain leads to a slew of body dissatisfaction disorders and obesity related medical conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Although 90% of Australians with a mental illness visited the doctor, less than half their doctors discussed improving their health through exercise and diet (SANE, 2008). A key indicator of health problems, excess weight girth was only measured in 18% of those surveyed yet diabetes and heart disease is particularly high in those with a mental illness. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, over a third of Generation Y Australians are overweight or obese (2011). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The media onslaught of photo shopped, airbrushed and heavily made up models and celebrities coupled with aggressive fast food campaigns has lead to opposite extremes of the spectrum. Eating disorders and obesity are widespread and body dissatisfaction is considered normal in today’s aesthetically based society. Both men and women are motivated to achieve the societal ideal of bodily perfection. Although eating disorders are more prevalent among women, Baghurst and Kissinger (2009) reported that men felt pressured to be beautiful in order to achieve admiration and a higher status among their peers and in society. Daniel Hamermesh, an economist at the University of Texas-Austin, conducted a study where participants were asked to rate the attractiveness of people face to face or from photos. Those who were deemed to be in the most attractive 15% were found to be 10% happier than those in the bottom 10% (Hamermesh & Abrevaya, 2011). Todd Kashdan, an associate professor of Psychology at George Mason University, explains that attractiveness is an advantage in first impressions and in the persuasion and influence of others. This leads to prospective employers and love interests giving them preference over others resulting in more attractive people acquiring higher paying jobs and attractive spouses (Hamermesh et al. 2002). It’s no wonder that suicide accounts for 20% of all deaths amongst Generation Y (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2005). The pressure to compete is simply too high.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Cultural and Social Analysis **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Due to the detrimental effects of compulsive buying and over consumption many religions and social theorists throughout time have denounced consumerism and material possessions. Religious doctrines teach that meaning in life is found through reflection and servitude while social theorists such as Carl Marx condemn consumerism as inspiring inequality, greed and selfishness. A sense of community and social identity is promoted within these ideologies yet today’s society is characterized by a lack of organizations, increased individualism, weakened cohesion, isolation and rapid social change (Wills et. al., 2002). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Even in communist countries capitalism is ever expanding and communism is viewed simply as a term. By the end of Maoist socialism, China had “one of the most egalitarian distributions of income in the world” yet three decades of global consumerism later and China is rapidly approaching the title of most unequal society in Asia (Blecher, 2005). In Australia and the rest of the western world, most of Generation Y has been brought up by baby boomer parents in a time of economic prosperity where, as a result of both parents working, luxury items could be afforded. Consequently, Generation Y was raised to a high exposure of advertising and has earned the label of “the first genuine consumer generation” (Huntley, 2006). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">In a democratic, capitalist culture, individuals have increased rights and expectations of society. Baudrillard (1998) argues that this newfound individualism and freedom of independence has falsely lead society to believe that happiness can be found through material possessions. Generation Y has thus been taught that an external display of consumption is a societal norm and an indicator of happiness through the mediums of status, wealth and power. Stearns (2006) explains that “consumerism is a society in which people formulate their goals in life partly through acquiring goods that they clearly do not need for subsistence or for traditional display.” Companies advertise that their products will produce happiness but the media also advertises the ideal body image, that is; the image consumers should be striving for and will only achieve with their products. This image varies through time but typically becomes thinner for women and more muscular for men each passing generation. These unattainable ideals lead to eating disorders, body and muscle dysmorphia and anxiety and depression. While mental health is determined biologically as well as environmentally, this comorbidity of disorders can be triggered or heightened in sufferers by media pressure to be the societal ideal of what is considered beautiful and successful. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Australians need to be aware of the dangers of excessive consumption and exposure to adverting and how these can affect their mental and physical health. Generation Y, as the largest consumer group and most individual and image obsessed people, are the most at risk. The Australian government has launched a number of initiatives aimed to prevent and help those exposed to and suffering from mental illness. Targeted at the youth of Australia, Headspace: National Youth Mental Health Foundation, began in 2006 and aims to inform and provide professional health services. For mental health sufferers who just want to talk or need advice, Kids Help Line and Lifeline are government funded numbers available 24/7. Other non government funded initiatives include Beyond Blue and The Butterfly Foundation which specialise in depression and eating disorders respectively. While there may be adequate resources to treat mental illness, society in general must demand of the media, fashion and advertising industries to lessen the negative impact they place on Australian youth. The government must be expected to regulate the image consumers see in the media. After the death of Luisel Ramos, an anorexic model, the organisers of Madrid Fashion Week banned size zero models from the catwalk and restricted runway models to be over the BMI of 18 (The Age, 2006). Several other countries were placed under pressure to comply and their example has been followed, to an extent, by the advertising industry.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Artefact Analysis and Learning Reflections **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Be Magazine used Paris Hilton to advertise their magazine as being relevant to the “now” generation. Hilton is often used as a figurehead for our generation though this is usually in censure for our notoriously narcissistic, egocentric and materialistic traits that Hilton embodies. I believe that the video exaggerates and satirises the individualistic and consumer driven lives exemplified in Generation Y. The characters within the clip were too self obsessed and conceited to bother replying to their slightly less attractive co-worker and looked down at her in disdain. Yet, in order to acquire a mere bag, Hilton and another model actually became violent with each other. To treat another human being with such disrespect over a material possession is mind boggling and yet commonplace within our society. Another irritating and yet unsurprising factor was the aesthetically pleasing actors used in the commercial. Tall, leggy, slim and fashion conscious; how exactly is the average person inclined to feel afterwards? The answer is we should all want to be these beautiful people and perhaps in those clothes and with the same hairstyles, using the same diet secrets and fitness regimes, living their lifestyles we could achieve that ideal. Then, if we ever reach that ideal, we could find happiness because all we really want is to be happy. Through researching this topic I have found the key to happiness. It’s something that the characters within the commercial and their real life counterparts, Generation Y, are seemingly yet to realize. Happiness, a sense of meaning and fulfilment, can be found simply through behaving compassionately towards others. Thus, from now on, in order to be happy I will simply perform a kind deed rather than attempt to fill that depressing void with consumerist rubbish.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">References **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Abela, A.V. (2006). Marketing and Consumerism. //European Journal of Marketing//, 40(1/2): 5-16.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2005). Cause of Deaths. Retrieved from __[]__

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Baudrillard, J. (1998). //The consumer society: Myths and structures.// London, England: Sage Publications.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Blecher, M. (2005). Inequality and Capitalism in China. //American Political Science Association Task Force Conference on Inequality and Difference in the Third World.// Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Carlisle, S. & Hanlon, P. (2007). The complex territory of well-being: contestable evidence, contentious theories and speculative conclusions. //Journal of Public Mental Health, 6//(2) 8-13. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Daniels, S. (2007). Gen Y Considerations For The Retail Industry. Retrieved from __[]__

<span style="font-family: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Griffin, R. C. (2006), Water resource economics: The analysis of scarcity, policies and projects, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Hamermesh, D.S. & Abrevaya, J. (2011). “Beauty is the Promise of Happiness”? Institute for the Study of Labour (IZA). Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Hamermesh, D.S., Meng, X. & Zhang, J. (2002). Dress for Success: Does Primping Pay? Nation Bureau for Economic Research. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Hill, A. J. (2011). Endangered Childhoods: How Consumerism is Impacting Child and Youth Identity. //Media Culture Society.// DOI: 10.1177/0163443710393387

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Huntley, R. (2006). //The world according to Y: The new adult generation.// Sydney, Australia: Allen and Unwin.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Moore, B. & Malk, C. (2006). Survival of the Thinnest. The Age. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">SANE Australia. (2008). Opportunity lost: lack of physical health care is hurting people with mental illness. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Stearns, P. N. (2006). Consumerism in World History: The Global Transformation of Desire (2nd ed.).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Wills, L. A., Coombs, D.W., Cockerham,W.C. & Frison, S.L. (2002). Ready to Die: African-American Adolescent Male Suicide. //Social Science & Medicine, 55, 6,// 907-920. Retrieved from []


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Reflection Task **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 120%;">C<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">omment 1- <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">http://healthculturesociety.wikispaces.com/Are+you+still+hungry%3F+The+consequences+of+media+pressure+on+Generation+Y

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">This essay was well researched and thought provoking with numerous statistics and social theorists to support her analysis. I found the artefact to be particularly enlightening and was amazed at how many highly sexualised and unattainable images could be inflicted upon someone so young. Studying the same topic, I have found several alarming statistics relating to the large number of advertisements children are exposed to but your video summed it up perfectly. Well done on your visual stimulus and how you've related it back to your research and theory based evidence. Congratulations on a great assignment!

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Comment 2- <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">http://healthculturesociety.wikispaces.com/Sexploiting+Female+Athletes

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Your essay grabbed my attention with a catchy title and play on words. Your artefact was well chosen and, as you stated, the female athletes being exploited don't look like athletes at all. Your topic was well researched and I was shocked to find that younger female athletes were more likely to be depressed and suffer from eating disorders. Your reflection summed up the aspirations we should strive for to achieve an ethical and equitable playing field. Congratulations on a visually captivating and well thought out assignment!