Chapter 8, Evaluating

"Revealing the Ugly Cartoonish Truth: The Simpsons"
By Simon Benlow


WRITING STRATEGIES
Question 2. In your own words, what is Benlow's main idea?

I think that Benlow's main idea is that the Simpsons' out of control and seemingly unrealistic and disfunctional world is actually mirroring the very world we live in.


EXPLORING IDEAS
Question 1. Why does Benlow think The Simpsons is important?

I think that Benlow thinks The Simpsons is important because it is showing an example of the disorder in our world today.



I agree with Benlow's essay "Revealing the Ugly Cartoonish Truth: The Simpsons". I think that he has a good point that The Simpsons really does show a side that reveals what is really going on. I love the Simpsons, but now I appreciate it even more because I never really thought of it that way.

In this essay he is pointing out that the far-fetched events that happen in the show are actually not too far off from what events happen in the world realistically. I loved it when he mentioned the kids walking into a toxic plant unnoticed because the guard was busy sucking on a beverage and watching Krusty the Clown on television.

I also liked his point about Homer being the poster boy of incompetence, yet he is granted a typical place in the ill-defined bureaucracy of power. He if fired and then, for no good reason, hired back.

I agree that it gets us to consider the lies the nuclear power industry feeds us and the laziness and self-righteousness of city governments.

Chapter 7 Responding to Arguments

RESPONSE TO JULIET SCHOR
Betsy Taylor

WRITING STRATEGIES
1. In this essay, Taylor deffinately agrees with Schor's essay about consumerism.
She also adds a few of her own thoughts as well as support with statistics.

EXPLORING IDEAS
1. Taylor says that there are many "hidden costs". Some other examples where there might be hidden costs are:
A. Medications
B. Vacation packages
C. Products sold on TV
D. Products sold on the Internet
The most dangerous would probably be the medications.

IDEAS FOR WRITING
1. One of the points Taylor makes is that nearly two-thirds of the homes built now have two-car garages. I think that this is significant because not only are we taking up more living space, it also implies that we are driving more cars, and therefor polluting and using up more natural resourses.--Although doesn't state that in her essay.



I agree with this essay completely. I believe that our consumerism ways are overdoing it just a little. We are a materialistic nation. We have the highest consumerism rate in the world. Money rules our nation.
I think that one reason why we consume so much is because of the conveniances. It is so easy to just get in the car, drive a block, and get everything we need. Rather than making a home-cooked meal from scratch, we can just go to KFC and bring home an entire meal for the whole family in less than 10 minutes on the way home from work.
Because America's society is "more is better" and "the more it costs, the better it must be", we have gotten to where what we have is who we are. We are now classified into groups of "statis". If you own the nicest, newest, most expensive vehicle, or if you wear name-brand clothing and fashionable shoes, you are considered higher in society. Because of this, we have become more materialistic. The American dream is no longer the good job, with the house in the country with a family minivan. The American dream is now a good job that pays excessively with a nice condo in the middle of the city with a new Mercades Benz.

Chapter 4, Analyzing Concepts

"Have it Your Way": Consumerism Invades Education
Simon Benlow

EXPLORING IDEAS
1. The important distinction that Benlow makes between "students" and "consumers" is that students go to school to learn and work, but consumers are those who are after the least work possible.

IDEAS FOR WRITING
1. The term that is defined, or thought of, incorrectly is "student" which is often replaced with "customer".

I chose this essay because it interested me and i agree with the author. I agree that in college education, students are experiencing more and more conveniences.
Today, it is a consumerist world. We can have it our way more than not. when we go to a restaraunt, we can chose to alternate our meals however we want. When we go to a store, "the customer is always right". Businesses are doing whatever it takes to draw in more and more customers. The way they are doing this is by making the most efficiant or conveniant business or product. They want the customer to not have to do it themselves-- they will do it for them. They want the customer to experience as least work as possible. Since college students pay large amounts of money to go to college, this may be what is happening them.
When people think about going to college, many of them are thinking that it will just be another great thing that can have for a price of money. They think that they will pay the tuition, buy the books, and experience the stimulation of what they most desire. It really isn't like this at all. They should be going for an education not an experience.