"Affluenza" --- the new term for 'spoiled rich kid' --- Where did it come from?

I'm sure most of you has read this thread, Teen Kills 4; Judge LITERALLY Lets Him Off Because He is Rich!, or has heard about it on the news.

Well the news media has been going crazy over a term that the defense used to get the kid off.
And that term is...Affluenza.
No, not Aflac like the in duck commercial.....Affluenza

Many reported never having heard this word before so I looked it up.
Yes, it's listed in Wiki, of course, my spell check doesn't know it's a real word.
And it has since been updated with the latest court ruling. That was quick

So here is how it was formed and basically where it derives from.

Affluenza, a portmanteau of affluence and influenza, is a term used by critics of consumerism. The book Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic defines it as "a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more".[1]

en.wikipedia.org...

Okay, so we have 2 main words combined to create one.

Affluence= wealthy, rich, fortune, abundance
Influenza= infection, illness, affliction

You get the picture.
Basically it's a term to say that a 'rich dude is sick in the head'

Oh, forgot to mention...people who suffer from this 'Affluenza' show lack of empathy and evidently, accountability as well.

But if you look at part of the definition per Wiki, it states it's a condition from "overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more".

Also here it states more about when it first came about and by whom:

The popularity of the term affluenza is often credited to John de Graaf, who produced a documentary and a book in the condition in the late 1990s. De Graaf primarily defined the word as the contagious illness that was creating mountains of debt, overwork and addiction to spending.

So, this is referring to the adults who work & pay the bills, yes?
What "debt, overload, anxiety" has a rich teenager got other than spending his Trust-fund?

Pretty soon, that will be the new norm for rich kids
Innocent due to 'Affluenza'


So basically this kid got no jail time for killing 4 people due to "exhaustion & stress from constantly trying to keep up with the Joneses"

Yeah right, give me a break
*shakes head*

It came from a bunch of lawyers trying to get a kid off of murder charges.

You asked.... "What "debt, overload, anxiety" has a rich teenager got other than spending his Trust-fund?"

He may very well have anxiety, depression, lack empathy, etc. etc. etc. Add 15 more DSM titles to it and it still doesn't excuse his behavior. He would still be aware of right and wrong. Whether he cared if it was right or wrong is another story and it's pretty obvious that he didn't. He shouldn't have been let off, because he lacked the ability to care. Serial killers lack the ability to care as well... are we going to let them go?

This new term "Affluenza" is like so many other concocted defenses... Bullshnittle IMO. Everybody has a reason for doing something wrong. An excuse of why it wasn't their fault. If there isn't a good excuse then if they have enough money they can pay someone to come up with one. Isn't Amuurica great?

Affluenza should be defined as not giving a fluke because my mommy and daddy will bail me out. HOWEVER, letting that be the case (in this case) only cements this judgement for future "deals" like this to go down. I don't care how much money you have or how spoiled you are, you still know right from wrong and making up new terms to justify horrendous acts should not be allowed.

Gonna watch this tonight, but yea there are many negative things that come of this affliction on society. Unfair treatment by authorities, empty consumerism, pursuing unobtainable or unnecessary things that are often beyond many's means and the classic "Jones status" bs.
I will comment later regarding doc.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


Thanks for supplying the video
Don't have time to watch it all now, but will catch it later


After all this, now 'Affluenza' defense psychologist: 'I wish I hadn't used that term'
That's because it's not a familiar term...........until now.
Thanks Doc

Wow, i guess i missed the story about this, its just sick, if anything he
should be locked in a mental institution for his very severe sentence,
he killed four people, they cannot just let him walk away from that.

If they do let him off with just therapy then we are so in trouble,
that pretty much confirms beyond a shadow of a doubt where this
is all heading. So much for any real justice.

bloodreviara
Wow, i guess i missed the story about this, its just sick, if anything he
should be locked in a mental institution for his very severe sentence,
he killed four people, they cannot just let him walk away from that.

If they do let him off with just therapy then we are so in trouble,
that pretty much confirms beyond a shadow of a doubt where this
is all heading. So much for any real justice.

They did let him off. He didn't spend one day in jail (nor juvie for that matter) for what he did. He walked with probation.

It's going to open the door for more of this idiocy to be continued. It won't be long before we hear of another person claiming "affluenza" made me do it.

bloodreviara
Wow, i guess i missed the story about this, its just sick, if anything he
should be locked in a mental institution for his very severe sentence,
he killed four people, they cannot just let him walk away from that.

If they do let him off with just therapy then we are so in trouble,
that pretty much confirms beyond a shadow of a doubt where this
is all heading. So much for any real justice.

This will be the new 'rich kid' defense story from now on

"I can do whatever I like and my lawyer will get me off because I suffer from 'Affluenza', thanks to my parents"

Their free "Get out of jail" card

reply to post by snarky412


"Affluenza", to me, is carte blanc to sue wealthy and absent parents for their deranged indifference. Find me a West Texas jury who wouldn't side with me.

No disrespect to any members but lets be real here..we're all adults....it's called "white privilege"...this is just an extreme case of it.



Same judge gives this kid probation but a black kid who killed 1 person, from a punch gets 10years?

Don't get upset and don't get defensive....if this was a black kid with the same amount of money...him being labeled with "affluenza" would be laughable...and we all know this.

beatbox
No disrespect to any members but lets be real here..we're all adults....it's called "white privilege"...this is just an extreme case of it.

Same judge gives this kid probation but a black kid who killed 1 person, from a punch gets 10years?

Don't get upset and don't get defensive....if this was a black kid with the same amount of money...him being labeled with "affluenza" would be laughable...and we all know this.

edit on 14-12-2013 by beatbox because: (no reason given)

If that were true, then white people wouldn't be prosecuted. Since they are, it seems that the "white" in "white privilege" is a misnomer. At least, in the year 2013.

The reason white folks had power in the past was due to financial power. Power follows resources. In 2013 we measure resources in dollars (or whatever other currency is chosen).

I have seen it happen with Indian kids, too. And latin.

I won't touch the discussion around why a black kid would be likely to be singled out. Not with a 10 foot pole. But your premise is incorrect.

bigfatfurrytexan

beatbox
No disrespect to any members but lets be real here..we're all adults....it's called "white privilege"...this is just an extreme case of it.

Same judge gives this kid probation but a black kid who killed 1 person, from a punch gets 10years?

Don't get upset and don't get defensive....if this was a black kid with the same amount of money...him being labeled with "affluenza" would be laughable...and we all know this.

edit on 14-12-2013 by beatbox because: (no reason given)

If that were true, then white people wouldn't be prosecuted. Since they are, it seems that the "white" in "white privilege" is a misnomer. At least, in the year 2013.

The reason white folks had power in the past was due to financial power. Power follows resources. In 2013 we measure resources in dollars (or whatever other currency is chosen).

I have seen it happen with Indian kids, too. And latin.

I won't touch the discussion around why a black kid would be likely to be singled out. Not with a 10 foot pole. But your premise is incorrect.

Lets be real here.. It seems to me that you don't understand the concept of the term..nor should I expect you to but that's another thread..

Maybe a yt prof can explain it more clearly and soft on the ears for you then I would.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

All I'm saying is:Affluena is the new White Privlege...you can agree or not. I don't care.

So you've seen it happen? Showme a case where a person of color got probation for killing more then 3 people. While driving drunk?

And while your at it, chew on this...tell me if a person of color would have gotten this same treatment? Maybe this will give you some insight...
www.nydailynews.com...

A Manhattan judge aimed to scare a wealthy teen mugger straight Tuesday, threatening to send the preppy punk away for life if he screws up again. Supreme Court Justice Thomas Farber warned Jesse Wasserman, 18, that he'd slam him with as many as 75 years in an upstate jail if he doesn't stay clean ahead of his sentencing next month. The stern lecture came after Wasserman, who lives in a ritzy New Rochelle neighborhood, fessed up to three counts of first-degree robbery for a series of muggings last August in Central Park. "I could sentence you for the rest of your life," Farber told the boarding school dropout as he explained that Wasserman risks up to 25 years on each count if he's rearrested.

With that, Farber allowed the teen to remain free on $150,000 bail until his Sept. 6 sentencing, when his youthful offender plea deal could get him anywhere from 16 months to four years behind bars. Wasserman's record will eventually be sealed if he stays out of trouble. Prosecutors opposed the youthful offender designation.

"He has some issues, but he's not violent," Steiner said of his client, who he said helped cops recover the fake gun after his bust.

So a robbery suspect has issues but not violent? Even though he has 3 armed robberies on his resume and gets only 16 months, show me a case where a person of color gets this type of treatment??? Let me not even start on the his records being sealed...jeeeze

Affluenza is the new made up term and one of the many tentacles of White Privilege