Cycle of “Compulsive Consumerism” Leaves British Family Life in Crisis, Unicef Study Finds

Pointless accumulation of material goods, as compensation for widening inequality, was an underlying cause of the widespread UK riots in August, contends Unicef UK. Work-weary parents who replace playtime and conversations with “stuff” are raising unhappy, difficult children. In a follow-up to a 2007 Unicef study showing that the well-being of British children was the lowest among OECD nations, researchers compared the upbringing of children in Spain, Sweden and Great Britain and found that materialistic British children succumb to alcohol and substance abuse at early ages. Clothing and possessions reinforce social divisions: “high status brands tended to be more important to children from less affluent backgrounds, perhaps as a means of masking financial and social insecurities.” An overriding goal among families to make money ties in with the findings of another government review suggesting that “parents are often complicit in the sexualisation and commercialisation of children.” Researchers urge sustained spending on outdoor play areas and a reduction in work hours for parents. – YaleGlobal