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 cold, strong worded letter demanding payment. And as soon as the payments came in, their tone would change to one of flattery addressing her as a valuable customer and offering an increase in her credit limit. Ehrenreich starts the essay off with an anecdote as well. She talks about noticing a billboard near her house, urging people to spend a dollar to fight recession. Confused she wonders, up until that billboard was put up, the problem was that people do not save enough and now it is that people are not spending as much. So which is it she wonders as she asks herself "what are we supposed to do? Spend? Save? Spend and Save?'"
             Another technique Ehrenreich uses to prove her point that advertising is the main medium the "permissive" message that calls out to spend reaches the people, is statistical information. In the sixth paragraph, she states a figure of one million as the number of how many
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