Hamilton and Denniss argue that people `` aspire to the lifestyles of the rich and famous '' . They state that rates of stress , depression and obesity are high as people try to cope with the emptiness and disappointments of consumer life . Hamilton and Denniss argue that people `` aspire to the lifestyles of the rich and famous at the cost of family , friends and personal fulfilment '' , and that rates of stress , depression and obesity are high as people try to cope with the emptiness and disappointments of consumer life .