Tuesday, October 6, 2009

The Source


I found the first source I examined especially interesting when I was first stumbled upon it. It is the website for a TV documentary series that aired on PBS in the late 90s (premiered in 1997) about over-consumption in America. The producers call the problems related to over-consumption and capitalism a disease called "Affluenza." I can't wait to watch some of the episodes they produced- although they are apparently kind of hard to find. The website is very in depth and has a lot of resources.


Since I'm going to be a teacher next year I was excited to see the teacher's guide to teach about this subject as well. There are even questions for viewers to use while watching and ways to promote the series. I'm glad that the website has such a vast array of resources because this will be a great tool as I write my paper. The site is laid out with different sections. On the sidebar there are the following categories: the show, the diagnosis, the treatment, and the site map and home page. I love that they approach simple living in a satirical kind of way, yet the site also offers a lot of practical ways to live simpler, and clear cut answers about the benefits of doing so. The diagnosis offers quizzes readers can take to see if they "suffer from" Affluenza. I think the episodes as well as the website are going to be helpful perspectives when I examine the art of living simply.
I found myself playing around on the website for awhile; taking the quizzes and reading facts about America's seemingly chronic over-consumption. The site also lists further resources, and reviews of the resources, that promote simplicity and sustainability. Just reading through them I was impressed at the quality and the quantity of what's out there. I'm glad that I won't have trouble trying to compile sources for this paper.

1 comment:

  1. I have a download of this poster, too! It was published in ReadyMade, a reliably surprising magazine (but you probably knew that). :)

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