[Zardoz]

Just about everybody who haunts these boards is in agreement on one thing: There are many things wrong with American culture.

We have no idea. We don't know the half of it. The following article pulls together the results of many studies, and comes to some sobering conclusions:

From Adbusters.org - "The Journal of The Mental Environment"

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')ut now a number of provocative psychosocial studies have appeared that may rejuvenate this whole debate. These groundbreaking studies point to a growing toxicity in American culture. They suggest that cultural toxins have now reached dangerously high levels, helping to explain the high school shootings, the skyrocketing use of legal and illegal psychoactive drugs, our growing problems with obesity and psychosomatic illness, rage in public places, and the general sense of cynicism and hopelessness that is enveloping our culture.

Yet because these studies are so controversial, because they point an accusing finger at American culture and suggest that the "American Dream" itself may be one of the root causes of our deteriorating mental health, they remain in the margins – disputed, denied and ignored...

...Each generation born in the twentieth century has suffered more depression than the previous one and since WWII, the overall rate of depression has more than doubled. A more recent study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry in 2000 and conducted by another team of researchers, showed more than a doubling of depression in women from 1970 to 1992. Psychiatric drug use has skyrocketed as a result. American schoolchildren today are taking four times as many psychiatric meds as all of the rest of the world combined...

...When we look closely at patterns of mental disorders around the world, one thing becomes clear: rising wealth does not improve mental health. In fact, globalization seems to leave mental degradation in its wake. Canadian psychologist Bruce Alexander has come to the same conclusion.

"Because [our] western free-market society proves the model for globalization," he says, "mass addiction is being globalized, along with the English language, the Internet, and Mickey Mouse."

...The WHO predicts that depression will become one of the most common disabling disorders in the world by 2020, second only to heart disease (it has already reached the number one spot for women). Pretty soon, Mexicans and other immigrants won’t have to come to North America to be exposed to toxic culture, USA. It will come to them. Culture is, after all, America’s greatest export.

[NEOPO]

I want to agree if for nothing else the the title yet I cannot and the reasons are many yet its late and I am tired.

Good luck and good night.

Look deeper.

[Plantagenet]

The idea that people in simple pre-industrial societies and even poor people in our own rich industrial society have fewer social pathologies and mental illnesses then rich people goes back at least to the 18th century philosopher Rosseau and his ideas about the "noble savage."

It is an appealing idea.

[IanC]

I love the Adbusters folks. They do a great job of taking a step back from American and industrialized culture and helping me see it in a new light. It's disturbing but reinforces my anti-consumerist attitudes. It makes me feel better for not having TV and generally keeping to a diet low in marketing.

As a culture, we are sick.

-Ian

[Kod]

It's a little deceptive to use depression and antidepressant usage as yardsticks for society. They're artificially inflated by the pharmaceutical marketing juggernaut. A lot of the people who are on antidepressants probably shouldn't be.

[NEOPO]

What effect did Operation Paperclip have on science and all it encompasses?

Operation Paperclip

Pssst hey kid, need some doomer porn? how about a rolex watch? ok maybe some anti depressants?

[vision-master]

I think part of the problem is our family units tend to get spread all over hell these days. That, plus it pretty much takes two incomes to support a family & the fact that employees in the US are working longer hours without traditional job security and benefits.

Myth: Work hard and you will achieve the American dream.

Disabled-worker awards, by diagnostic group, 2000

[xrotaryguy]

So, when the economy collapses, will the Ritalin supply stop? Damn! That stuff really takes the edge off bro

In all seriousness, the development of better and better medication isn't a totally good thing. America is no longer subject to the "survival of the fittest" rule like the rest of the world. Sick people feel and act just like healthy people, and they breed like healthy people too. I think that a high percentage of Americas have health problems because of the relative absence of natural selection. Our diets and life styles don't help either.

The possibility of an economic collapse is very scary for many Americans because it could make many medications scarce or even unavailable. Many of us are mechanically inclined, or capable of "living off the land", but almost none of us is capable of making our own heart medication.

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')n all seriousness, the development of better and better medication isn't a totally good thing. America is no longer subject to the "survival of the fittest" rule like the rest of the world. Sick people feel and act just like healthy people, and they breed like healthy people too. I think that a high percentage of Americas have health problems because of the relative absence of natural selection. Our diets and life styles don't help either.

[mmasters]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')n all seriousness, the development of better and better medication isn't a totally good thing. America is no longer subject to the "survival of the fittest" rule like the rest of the world. Sick people feel and act just like healthy people, and they breed like healthy people too. I think that a high percentage of Americas have health problems because of the relative absence of natural selection. Our diets and life styles don't help either.

[dissimulo]

IMO, spoiled people are more likely to complain of depression than those who struggle daily to survive.

We'll probably be a lot less depressed soon.

[Boris555]

This, like many studies and articles, simply follows the old adage: "The squeaky wheel gets the grease"

Yes, lots of people are messed up. But you don't hear about the ones who aren't. We don't make good copy.

That said, it IS true that the mental health issues are pushed by the pharmaceutical companies. Back when I was a kid we didn't get Ritalyn, we got smacked for acting up in class. And we straightened the hell up.

All the medication being prescribed has not reduced the suicide rate in any way. Life is constant no matter what culture you wrap it in.

[xrotaryguy]

Obviously medical technology has done great things. However, I still say that, due to medical technology, survival of the fittest is comparatively non-existent in the western world. This is one of the not-so-great side effects of medicine.

Also, medicine is a huge contributor to longer life spans, but it is not solely responsible for them. Our easy life style is a big contributor too. Plentiful and diverse food supply, ease of transportation, the free flow of information, etc all contribute to our ability to lead long lives.

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dissimulo', 'I')MO, spoiled people are more likely to complain of depression than those who struggle daily to survive.

We'll probably be a lot less depressed soon.

[coyote]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', 'P')eople think if your "depressed" just snap out of it, go do something.

Well, if it's really bad, your lucky enough to get out of bed in the morning.

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('coyote', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', 'P')eople think if your "depressed" just snap out of it, go do something.

Well, if it's really bad, your lucky enough to get out of bed in the morning.

[Ludi]

Thing is, if you can't function without them (like my sister and me) it doesn't matter how "addictive" they are.

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'T')hing is, if you can't function without them (like my sister and me) it doesn't matter how "addictive" they are.

[Narz]

Great article, I spread it around.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthrea ... ost5504331

[Narz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mmasters', '
')Beyond the last 100-200 years the average age a person lived to was about 25.