#theaffluenza

[g4yr4t]

theaffluenza replied to your photoset:send help immediately

THAT HEEL IS TALLER THAN YOU #rip in peace

I’m in great danger but tthey make me 5′10″ and that’s all I want

[dragonittes]

U alright bro?

me @ myself: why are you like this

[g4yr4t]

theaffluenza replied to your post: “is it acceptable to show up to your mom’s gallery opening (in...”:

scandalize those filthy rich bastards

THEY WILL FAINT FROM THE SCANDAL. AND THEN I WILL STEAL FROM THEIR POCKETS AND PURSES.

[mens-rights-activia]

why havent u changed ur icon yet? fake

Sorry, I have a brand to maintain

[fightcapitalism]

Would you please explain your url for me??

Glad you asked! It’s actually sort of complicated (especially since my blog isn’t really that serious), but definitely worth explaining.

The word “affluenza” (an old portmanteau of “affluence” and “influenza”) first resurfaced in this mental floss article back in 2012. Affluenza describes the feelings of disillusionment and lack of spiritual fulfillment associated with financial success in America - the nagging sense of futility that plagues middle- and upper-class white Americans, which has led to the rise of eat-pray-love culture and the film American Beauty.

This affliction is, of course, ridiculous. The word Affluenza was originally used to satirize the woes of WASPs; their problem is they’ve got too much money, they don’t have any struggle in their lives to help them feel alive. As silly as that sounds, much of modern white “culture” seems to be rooted in Affluenza. White people eat “ethnic” food, listen to black music, take yoga classes, dabble in eastern spirituality, wear Native American headdresses, and smoke weed - all warped reenactments of POC cultural pastimes to help them feel “edgy” or get in touch with their “primitive” selves, without any of the legal or social risks that come with actually doing those things as a person of color. Affluenza is pretty silly, but it is also a visible cultural phenomenon.

In early 2014, claims of affluenza were used by a defense psychologist in a now-infamous court case (literally! they used the satirical word in absolute seriousness as a medical excuse!) to defend a wealthy teenager who had killed four people and injured two while driving drunk. Instead of jail time, the teen was sent to rehab - an incredibly lax decision which, combined with the Affluenza bullshit, sparked national outrage. The case is one among countless recent court cases which point to the entrenched classism of the US justice system. If the young man had been poor, or a person of color, would he have been given such a lucky break?

That’s a pretty good foundation of the idea of Affluenza. As for the “the,” it was inspired by The Mars Volta (they wanted to just be “Mars Volta” but another band had already signed as that name, so they added a “the;” likewise, “affluenza” was taken, so I added a “the.” Besides, I’m not just any affluenza, I’m the affluenza. Bitch.)