The capture and legal dealings of the convicted “affluenza” teen who killed four people in a horrific drunk-driving case offers proof that behavior is, indeed, influenced by one’s environment, yet very much the sole responsibility of that individual.
Let’s start with “affluenza.” This “defense” was used by Ethan Couch’s attorneys to justify his actions in the deaths of four innocent victims while the 16-year-old drove at 70 mph into a group of people who were helping a stranded motorist. Couch had a blood alcohol level of nearly three times the legal adult limit, with the presence of Valium and THC (marijuana) in his system at the time of the 2013 crash. His impairment was blamed on the indulgences and excesses of his upbringing to the point that he could not differentiate between right and wrong, testified a psychologist in the original trial in Fort Worth, Texas.
Robin SmithStories following Couch’s capture in Mexico after he reportedly violated the terms of his parole and fled include the “troubled” home environment of the now 18-year-old. News accounts reference a “wealthy, unstable home” with parents Fred and Tonya Couch splitting in an acrimonious 2006 divorce.
But where did the term “affluenza” originate? The granddaughter of a former president of General Motors, Jessie O’Neill, wrote of the “condition” in “The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence.”
Those suffering from this sad state are from “wealthy families” that “have a sense of entitlement, make excuses for bad behavior and have addictive or compulsive behaviors, including drug and alcohol problems.”