affluenza, n.a. a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more. (1-2)

To foster a community of learners that includes the public as well as UWMC students, staff, and faculty, we have developed a campus/community common reading program and dialogue for the 2006-2007 academic year. The community component includes a partnership with the Wausau Daily Herald and the Marathon County Public Library. The book chosen as the focus for this year of dialogue is Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic by John De Graaf, David Wann, Thomas H. Naylor (2nd edition). The authors look at contemporary society’s compulsive materialism through the powerful metaphor of an epidemic:

Of course, the scene is an imaginary one, but the epidemic is real. Amid prosperity, the soaring economy and the superficial upbeat atmosphere marking the dawn of a new millennium, a powerful virus has infected American society, threatening our wallets, our friendships, our families, our communities, and our environment. […] Affluenza’s costs and consequences are immense, though often concealed. Untreated, the disease can cause permanent discontent. Were you to find it in the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition might be something like the following:

With a community-wide dialogue about this condition, we hope to help one another confront difficult cultural, ethical, and environmental issues raised by America’s consumerism.  Please visit our blog page; we'd enjoy hearing your feedback.  Also please visit our Sponsors page; Link Here to see all those that have made this program possible.