Summary of Affluenza
He 1
Zijian He
Professor Bosson
English 93 TR
02/11/2014
Summary of the introduction to Affluenza
In the introduction of Affluenza, the authors，John De Graaf, David Wann and Thomas H. Naylor, describe a new epidemic disease called Affluenza that spreading all over the world from United States. According to the “Oxford English Dictionary”, the definition is “a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more”. The Affluenza has infected Americans’ society, and affect their money, friendships, families, communities and environment over generations. Therefore, the authors consider that the disease will become more and more powerful and want people start to prevent and learn how to control it.
At the beginning of the introduction, Al Gore wrote a popular book called “Earth in the Balance” when he was still a senator in 1992. In that book, he thought the Americans have been wasting many resources. But in the next couple of years, the virus has consumed Gore. By the 2000 election, he has vowed to increase the size of the U.S. economy by 30 percent but without thinking whether it would be a good think for Americans. The article told us that pursuit materialistic life has rooted in Americans’ minds.
He 2
Next, the Affluenza is infectious. Once all of people in the world follow the Americans’ life style becoming materialistic, earth is surely out of control and cannot support everything we need. Actually, the earth has been starting become worse and worse, showing in environment.
According to the reported in a 1998 article in Parade magazine, the environmental pollution is more and more serious in most countries. Although natural disaster always happens in some countries, people are still spending as much as before so that people are deeper in debt than ever. Although the good news is guaranteeing continued economic growth, people always try to filter the bad news. People cannot
Zijian He
Professor Bosson
English 93 TR
02/11/2014
Summary of the introduction to Affluenza
In the introduction of Affluenza, the authors，John De Graaf, David Wann and Thomas H. Naylor, describe a new epidemic disease called Affluenza that spreading all over the world from United States. According to the “Oxford English Dictionary”, the definition is “a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more”. The Affluenza has infected Americans’ society, and affect their money, friendships, families, communities and environment over generations. Therefore, the authors consider that the disease will become more and more powerful and want people start to prevent and learn how to control it.
At the beginning of the introduction, Al Gore wrote a popular book called “Earth in the Balance” when he was still a senator in 1992. In that book, he thought the Americans have been wasting many resources. But in the next couple of years, the virus has consumed Gore. By the 2000 election, he has vowed to increase the size of the U.S. economy by 30 percent but without thinking whether it would be a good think for Americans. The article told us that pursuit materialistic life has rooted in Americans’ minds.
He 2
Next, the Affluenza is infectious. Once all of people in the world follow the Americans’ life style becoming materialistic, earth is surely out of control and cannot support everything we need. Actually, the earth has been starting become worse and worse, showing in environment.
According to the reported in a 1998 article in Parade magazine, the environmental pollution is more and more serious in most countries. Although natural disaster always happens in some countries, people are still spending as much as before so that people are deeper in debt than ever. Although the good news is guaranteeing continued economic growth, people always try to filter the bad news. People cannot