[zipdog]

One of the difficulties for a society with large numbers of unemployed is that the consumer and media culture creates aspirational needs: people want stuff, and since its not being given to them and they can't earn the money to buy it, they become frustrated. Drugs are one escape from this problem, as is attainment of a higher consciousness (that you don't really need stuff to be happy). But it seems that many people avoid the first (to addictive levels) without having the second, and so end up frustrated and angry.