Analyses: Spend and Save
"We get two sets of messages coming at us every day. One says, buy, spend, get it now, indulge yourself. The other says, work hard, save defer gratification, curb your impulses." claims Barbara Ehrenreich. Ehrenreich, a widely respected author of social issues, ponders the question ''what are we supposed to do?" in her essay "Spend and Save". In her quest to answer that question, Ehrenreich takes an objective look at the two contradicting messages today's society is subjected to and its effect in a manner of ways. By the use of anecdotes, statistical information and references to literary works and historical accounts, Ehrenreich presents an informative and intriguing essay.Ehrenreich uses anecdotes to show the kind of duality that exists in today's society. In the second paragraph of the essay, Ehrenreich talks about her experience with American Express. She states that if she were ever late on her payments, American Express would not hesitate to send her a
Aside from anecdotes and statistical information, Ehrenreich also uses references to literary works and historical accounts. She refers to a book written by a Daniel Bell which proves her point further, that the consumer-based economy makes two absolutely contradictory psychological demands on its members. Again, near the end she refers to a book, Fear of Falling, authored by her, in an attempt to show the affects of the two contradictory messages being conveyed to the people. She states, "the result is anxiety, fear, a nameless dread." Apart from literary references Ehrenreich also uses reference to historical accounts. The anxiety she referred to, as an effect of the two messages was evident in the 1980's, the time of the Cold War. In the second to last paragraph she states, "...this anxiety was often expressed in Cold War terms. The fear was that we Americans were being softened-that was the word they used-by our affluence and consumer culture, while the Russians, who didn'! --------
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Approximate Word count = 669
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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