1. Social
condition that affects a society because of the elevated number of
individuals striving to be wealthy. People within the society feel that the only
measure of
success is determined by how much
money and prestige a
personhas.
2. A social theory claiming that individuals with very privileged and wealthy backgrounds sometimes struggle to determine the difference between right and wrong due to the nature of their upbringing. Also known as sudden-wealth syndrome.
Why It is Important: The term affluenza has been in the news a lot recently after 16-year-old Ethan Couch received a punishment of 10-years probation for killing four and injuring several more while driving intoxicated. Affluenza became a topic of great discussion because Couch's lawyers used it as the main argument for his defense. The term was first coined by Jessie H. O'Neill in her book "The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence" in 1997. If you want more information regarding this court case,
click here.
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