The Depression Epidemic Might Be Caused By Modern Achievement Culture
In 2015, philosopher Byung-Chul Han published one of his most widely-known works: The Burnout Society. In this book, he comments on how the current trends of increasingly common issues with mental health are caused by the cultural shift that placed a newfound importance on individual accomplishments. In fact, according to very recent statistics (during the writing of this article), at least 1 out of 6 adults in the US suffer from depression. In this article, we will explore how this applies to our culture across different mediums and find out if there are ways to alleviate this problem and improve your mental well-being. It is no surprise to anyone that we currently live in a consumerist society.: brands are now doing everything in their power to not just enter, but define entire facets of our lives. Nike is now associated with not just doing sports, but excelling at them, with its iconic motto “Just Do It!” jumpstarting the company’s success in the sportswear industry. The association was further compounded by athletes and celebrities prominently featuring Nike products, building a subconscious thought that goes something along the lines of “if I buy Nike, then maybe it will give me the push to become as successful as they are.” As such, if we extend Han’s observations of the opposite reaction effect to an achievement-focused culture, people who do not own Nike products may feel excluded or less capable than those who do, regardless of their actual abilities. That perception can be further reinforced by observing their peers achieving tangible results while also featuring Nike during it. Or, as Han put it himself:
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