Conversation- Economy
Name
AP Language & Composition
April 15, 2013
Conversation – Economy In “Economy”, Thoreau writes, “Most of the luxuries, and many of the so called comforts of life, are not only indispensible, but positive hinderances to the elevation of mankind”. He also poses two questions that address both microeconomics and macroeconomics: “What is the nature of the luxury which enervates and destroys nations?” and “Are we sure there is none of it in our own lives?” After having read Waste by Wendell Berry, I understand what Thoreau is trying to prove. Every convenient appliance built nowadays is made to please us at that very minute; It isn’t top quality and will most likely only last a short time. It will then be thrown away and quickly replaced with another type of fitting object. These luxuries may seem fabulous for now but given time they won’t be as magnificent as they used to, and eventually become trash. We become dependent on these luxuries to live, treating them as necessities when in reality they are just fancy trash in the making. “The more wants that are satisfied, the more new ones are born…” (Kenneth) thus the cycle continues. Advertisements keep the economy expanding and evolving by providing the people with production that satisfy’s and creates the urgency to want or so to speak “a symbiosis of an unlimited greed at the top and a lazy, passive, and self-indulgent consumptiveness at the bottom” (Berry). We unknowingly accept the challenge of these advertisements and go out to purchase their product. We don’t always splurge however, “We’re used to abundance and the possibility of possessing things. The things, and the possibility of possessing them, will still be there next week, next year.” (Rose). It is our way of life. We may fight to get the last shirt off of the rack or the last pair of shoes left, but we always know there will be more. It’s a never ending cycle that is slowing destroying our nation landfill by landfill, consumer by product.
AP Language & Composition
April 15, 2013
Conversation – Economy In “Economy”, Thoreau writes, “Most of the luxuries, and many of the so called comforts of life, are not only indispensible, but positive hinderances to the elevation of mankind”. He also poses two questions that address both microeconomics and macroeconomics: “What is the nature of the luxury which enervates and destroys nations?” and “Are we sure there is none of it in our own lives?” After having read Waste by Wendell Berry, I understand what Thoreau is trying to prove. Every convenient appliance built nowadays is made to please us at that very minute; It isn’t top quality and will most likely only last a short time. It will then be thrown away and quickly replaced with another type of fitting object. These luxuries may seem fabulous for now but given time they won’t be as magnificent as they used to, and eventually become trash. We become dependent on these luxuries to live, treating them as necessities when in reality they are just fancy trash in the making. “The more wants that are satisfied, the more new ones are born…” (Kenneth) thus the cycle continues. Advertisements keep the economy expanding and evolving by providing the people with production that satisfy’s and creates the urgency to want or so to speak “a symbiosis of an unlimited greed at the top and a lazy, passive, and self-indulgent consumptiveness at the bottom” (Berry). We unknowingly accept the challenge of these advertisements and go out to purchase their product. We don’t always splurge however, “We’re used to abundance and the possibility of possessing things. The things, and the possibility of possessing them, will still be there next week, next year.” (Rose). It is our way of life. We may fight to get the last shirt off of the rack or the last pair of shoes left, but we always know there will be more. It’s a never ending cycle that is slowing destroying our nation landfill by landfill, consumer by product.