Author Topic: [Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997  (Read 4561 times)

BuffaloStache

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[Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997
« on: May 25, 2017, 08:42:17 PM »
After hearing about it from other sources, I was able to find a link for this entire documentary: https://youtu.be/YhMllHwkAoM

There is also this very retro website for it: http://www.pbs.org/kcts/affluenza/

Overall, I found it to be a dated but educational video about the rise of consumerism in America. It also features interviews with Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez (of Your Money or Your Life fame). I find it interesting that this was made in the height of the crazy consumerism that was the 90's, years before the market crashes of 2000, 2008, etc.

rosarugosa

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Re: [Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2017, 04:36:18 PM »
Thanks for the link.  I just watched it and definitely thought it was worthwhile, even if a bit dated.

BuffaloStache

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Re: [Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2017, 08:53:00 PM »
Exactly my thoughts- thanks for commenting

yomimono

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Re: [Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2017, 09:38:40 PM »
We watched this in my high school economics class (circa 2001ish) and although it felt dated even then, it had a real and lasting effect on me.

BuffaloStache

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Re: [Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2017, 10:24:43 AM »
This  (or something like it) should be required in all high schools

Mgmny

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Re: [Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2017, 03:07:37 PM »
They also published a book on this documentary. I am about 1/3 done with it, and just started it yesterday!

BuffaloStache

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Re: [Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2017, 08:04:44 PM »
They also published a book on this documentary. I am about 1/3 done with it, and just started it yesterday!

Is it this book? https://www.amazon.com/Affluenza-All-Consuming-Epidemic-John-Graaf/dp/1576751996

Maybe I'll give it a read sometime

Mgmny

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Re: [Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2017, 08:47:42 PM »
They also published a book on this documentary. I am about 1/3 done with it, and just started it yesterday!

Is it this book? https://www.amazon.com/Affluenza-All-Consuming-Epidemic-John-Graaf/dp/157675 1996

Maybe I'll give it a read sometime

Yup! Finished it this morning! It got into a lot of economics/environmental stuff near the end that I wasn't interested in (not sure what the documentary focused on), but otherwise good read!

mike_fernlea

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Re: [Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2017, 04:44:05 AM »
The weird thing about watching that documentary was how much time they spent on the religious side of things

Moonwaves

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Re: [Educational Documentary] Affluenza 1997
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2017, 05:01:56 AM »
That book has been on my list of must-find-and-get-around-to-reading for a long time. Thanks for the link to the documentary, that's my Saturday viewing sorted now. I think it will be particularly interesting to see as I started work in my first "real" job in 1997.

Speaking of the retro website, if I lived in the US I think I'd be very tempted to take them up on this offer:

Quote
To order your own VHS copy of Affluenza, contact Bullfrog Films at 1-800-543-FROG, by e-mail at bullfrog@igc.org, and on the Web at www.bullfrogfilms.com