Affluenza

BBC Learning¹ EnglishWeekenderAffluenza
Jackie:  Hello, welcome to Weekender. I'm JackieDalton and today we're going to talk about 'affluenza' –that's a word you've probably not heard before– but don't worry, that's because it's only just beeninvented, by a man called Oliver James.
　　Oliver James is a psychologist – someone whose jobinvolves the study of the mind and how it affects people'sbehaviour. He has invented the word 'affluenza' to describea problem that he says is affecting a lot of people andmaking them very unhappy. It's not a real word that youwould find in the dictionary, but it's a mixture of twowords.
　　'Affluenza' is a mix of the word 'affluent²', which means tohave lots of money and expensive things and 'influenza³',which is a disease⁴, like a cold, that people can catch fromeach other.
　　So what is 'affluenza' all about? What is causing thisstrange so-called'disease' that Oliver James says is spreading and makingpeople miserable⁵? Listen to him explain what he means.
　　Oliver JamesIt’s placing a high value on money, possessions,appearances – physical and social - and fame…Jackie:  Oliver James says 'affluenza' is the resultof people giving a lot of importance to things like money,fame and possessions – possessions – the things you own.
　　He also says it's about placing a high value on appearances– what you look like – physically⁶ and socially. Thepeople who think these things are very important usuallyend up less happy than other people.
　　Oliver has been looking at fourteen different countries –he says that people living in English speaking countriesare more likely to suffer from affluenza than people in therest of Europe. In fact, people living in English speakingnations are twice as likely to suffer from mental illnesses– and he believes this is because they place moreimportance on affluence⁷ than the rest of Western Europe.
　　He says that people suffering from affluenza look for whathe calls ‘confected wants’ – the wants that businessesand advertisers want you to want – not things you actuallyneed to be happy.
　　Oliver JamesYou're constantly searching confected wants – the wantsthat advertisers and big businesses want you to want andyou end up having rather than being.
　　Jackie:  Confected wants - an unusual term for whatOliver James says advertisers or big business make you feelyou want, like a fast car, an expensive television orsofter skin. He says you end up 'having' not'being', which won’t make you happy.
　　So what is the solution? Oliver says we should be followingcountries like Denmark – they have a good standard ofliving – but they aren’t so concerned with making money,working long hours and worrying about status – 'status',how important they or powerful they appear. And the mostimportant thing about these countries: they value childcare- looking after children. What does Oliver say is the onething that he thinks would do the most to reduce'affluenza' and make people happier? Listen to find out.
　　Oliver JamesIf there was one single thing I would choose of all themany it would be that we should pay the average annual wageto one or other parent to look after their children fulltime or to share it – it would mean that we start valuingthe things that really matter, which is looking after ourchildren.
　　Jackie:  Did you get the answer? He says if therewas one single thing which could change society for thebetter – it would be for parents to be paid an averagesalary to stay at home and look after the children.
　　Now, a reminder⁸ of some of the language we've heard.
　　psychologistaffluent influenza possessions appearances childcareTo end, here's a chance to listen to all the clips⁹ we heardfrom OliverJames again. (repeat clips)

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

3 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

4 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

5 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

6 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

7 affluence   

n.充裕，富足

参考例句：

• Their affluence is more apparent than real.他们的富有是虚有其表。
• There is a lot of affluence in this part of the state because it has many businesses.这个州的这一部分相当富有，因为它有很多商行。

8 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

9 clips   

n.剪（ clip的名词复数 ）；剪短；剪报；（塑料或金属的） 夹子v.用别针别在某物上，用夹子夹在某物上（ clip的第三人称单数 ）；剪掉；缩短；给…剪毛（或发）

参考例句：

• toe clips on a bicycle 自行车上的踏脚夹套
• Use the crocodile clips to attach the cables to the battery. 用鳄鱼嘴夹把电缆接到蓄电池上。