Affluenza: Its an Epidemic

The press is going crazy (and now so am I) about Ethan Couch a texas teen who drove his father’s F-350 70 miles an hour down a road, lost control, killed 4 people and injured 2 others. The judge in the case sentenced him to 10 years probation (the victims and prosecution asked for 20 years) starting with 2 years of in-patient therapy at a $450,000 a year facility in California. The defense literally argued that due to wealth and his parents strained relationship he had been in a sick system and it left him with no sense of right and wrong. The psychiatrist called it, “Affluenza.”

Needless to say, I have a few thoughts. “Affluenza,” as they call it, has infected wealthy kids for quite sometime. The fact that this even went to trial at all is quite impressive. Normally this kind of thing is swept under the rug, the kid is sent to a facility and nothing more is heard. My point is this: this phenomena is nothing new. To those who are outraged I say, “Welcome to America.” This is a country where having money can buy you out of nearly anything and everything. From Teddy Kennedy at Chappaquiddick to Ethan Couch in Texas money buys connections and connections buy power and power buys freedom.  This is not a new phenomena it is simply the way things work in this country. The fact that this privilege is not available to poor people and minorities is simply doing business in this country. I am not saying its right or wrong I am simply disheartened that everyone is outraged over this singular case. Rather than heaping all the blame about inequality and wealth privilege onto one misguided, sick, poorly cared for, murderous boy.

You know what the saddest part about this whole thing is? This young man has been so insulated for so long and probably has so many issues because his parents haven’t paid attention to him, that he will in therapy for the rest of his life and have to re-build a relationship with his family. He will have to learn the hard lessons of accountability and responsibility for his actions. That will be a terribly journey. As for the victims, they are unlikely to get justice to any real kind that they can see. I see lawsuits in the future unfortunately.