新视野第大学英语读写教程unit课文原文2

1DoyoufeelasconfusedandmanipulatedasIdowiththisquestion,"ShouldIspendorshouldIsave"Ithinkthatthemessageswegetfromourenvironmentseemtodefycommonsenseandcontradicteachother.Thegovernmenttellsustospendorwe'llnevergetoutoftherecession.Atthesametime,theytellusthatunlesswesavemore,ourcountryisingravedanger.Banksofferhigherinterestratessoweincreasesavings.Thenthesamebankssenduscreditcardofferssowecanspendmore.2Here'sanotherfamiliarexample:Ifwedon'tpayourcreditcardbillontime,wegetdemanding,nastyemailsfromthecreditcardcompanysayingsomethinglike:"Yourfailuretopayisunacceptable.Payimmediatelyoryou'llbeintrouble!"Then,assoonaswepay,wegetafollow-upemailinacharmingtonetellingushowvaluableacustomerweareandencouragingustoresumedepictioniscorrect:afailingconsumerintroubleoravaluedcustomerThegapbetweenthesetwomessagesisenormous.3Theparadoxisthateverydaywegettwosetsofmessagesatoddswitheachother.Oneisthe"permissive"perspective,"Buy,spend,getitnow.Youneedthis!"Theotherwecouldcallan"upright"message,whichurgesus,"Workhardandsave.Suspendyourdesires.Avoidluxuries.Controlyourappetiteformorethanyoutrulyneed."Thismessagecomestousfrommanysources:fromschool,fromparents,evenfrompoliticalfiguresreferringto"traditionalvalues".Hardwork,familyloyalty,andthecapacitytopostponedesiresarecoreAmericanvaluesthathavemadeourcountrygreat.4Buttheoppositemessage,advertising'spermissivemessage,isinescapable.Thoughsometimesdisguised,themessagesareeverywherewelook:onTV,inmoviesonprintedmediaandroadsigns,instores,andonbusses,trainsandsubways.Advertisementsinvadeourdailylives.Weareconstantlysurroundedbythemessagetospend,spend,spend.Someonerecentlysaid,"Theonlytimeyoucanescapeadvertisingiswhenyou'reinyourbedasleep!"5It'sbeencalculatedthatbytheageof18,theaverageAmericanwillhaveseen600,000ads;bytheageof40,thetotalisalmostonemillion.Eachadvertisementisdoingitsutmosttoinfluenceourdiversebuyingdecisions,fromthebreakfastcerealweeattowhichcruiselinewewilluseforourvacation.Thereisnoshortageofideasandthingstobuy!Now,ofcourse,wedon'trememberexactlywhattheproductswere,buttheessentialmessageiscementedintoourconsciousness,"It'sgoodtosatisfyyourdesires.Youshouldhavewhatyouwant.Youdeservethebest.So,youshouldbuyit—now!"Afamousadvertisementsaiditperfectly,"Iloveme.I'magoodfriendtomyself.Idowhatmakesmefeelgood.Iderivepleasurefromnicethingsandfeelnourishedbythem.Iusedtoputthingsoff.Notanymore.TodayI'llbuynewskiequipment,lookatnewcompactcars,andbuythatcameraI'vealwayswanted.Ilivemydreamstoday,nottomorrow."6WhathappensaswetakeinthesecontradictorybutexplicitmessagesWhatarethepsychologicalandsocialconsequencesofthiscampaigntocontrolourspendinghabitsOnonehand,wewantmorethingsbecausewewanttosatisfyourmaterialappetite.Mostofusderivepleasurefromtreatingourselves.Ontheotherhand,alittlevoiceinsideusechoesthoseuprightmessages:"Watchout,takestockofyourlife,don'tletyourattentiongetscattered.Postponeyourdesires.Don'tfallintodebt.Wait!Retaincontroloveryourownlife.Itwillmakeyoustronger."7Anyway,manyoftheskillsyouneedasasuccessfulstudentcanbeappliedtoyourfinances.Consideryourfinancialwell-beingasakeyingredientofyouruniversityeducationasmoneyworriesareextremelystressfulanddistracting.Theycanmakeyoufeelterribleandhinderyourabilitytofocusonyourprimeobjective:successfullycompletingyoureducation.8HowcanyoubeasmartandeducatedconsumerManyschools,communityorganizations,andevensomebanksofferfinancialliteracyclasses.Considerconsultingwithyourschool'sfinancialaidofficeorseekinputfromyourparentsorotherrespectedadultsinsettingupabudget.Anadditionaloptionisfindingapartnertohelpyoustayontrackandfindpleasureintheadministrationofyourownfinancialaffairs.Mostimportantly,ifyoufindyourselfgettingintofinancialtrouble,don'tletyouregogetinyourway;urgentlygethelpwithtacklingyourproblembeforeitspinsoutofcontrolandlandsyouinlegaltroubles.9Allthiswillhelpyoubecomeaneducatedconsumerandsaver.Asyoulearntobalancespendingandsaving,youwillbecomethecaptainofyourownship,steeringyourlifeinasuccessfulandproductivedirectionthroughthechoppywaters.