Consumed. Identity and Anxiety in an Age of Plenty

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We've all kind of gone collectively psychotic, says evolutionary psychologist Dr. Geoffrey Miller, whose research deals with consumerism and marketing and their impact on traditional human interaction. Long-standing ways of socializing are not only vanishing, says Miller, but addictions, depression, and other mental health issues are becoming standard aspects of our lives - the direct results of our consumption-based society. This program looks at conclusions drawn by Miller and other thought leaders in response to dramatic cultural and socioeconomic shifts emerging in the 21st century. According to sustainable design expert Tim Cooper, the long-term individual and psychological cost of modern consumerism is relatively small. The environmental cost, on the other hand, could ultimately destroy life as we know it.