新视野大学英语(第三版)读写教程2--unit5-Spend or save — The student's dilemma课文原文

Spendorsave—Thestudent'sdilemma1 Doyoufeelasconfusedand manipulated asIdowiththisquestion,"ShouldIspendorshouldIsave?" Ithinkthatthemessageswegetfromourenvironmentseemto defy commonsenseand contradict eachother. Thegovernmenttellsustospendorwe'llnevergetoutofthe recession. Atthesametime,theytellusthatunlesswesavemore,ourcountryisin grave danger. Banksofferhigherinterestratessoweincreasesavings. Thenthesamebankssenduscreditcardofferssowecanspendmore.2 Here'sanotherfamiliarexample:Ifwedon'tpayourcreditcardbillontime,wegetdemanding, nasty emailsfromthecreditcardcompanysayingsomethinglike:"Yourfailuretopayisunacceptable.Payimmediatelyoryou'llbeintrouble!" Then,assoonaswepay,wegetafollow-upemailinacharming tone tellingushowvaluableacustomerweareandencouragingusto resume spending.Which depiction iscorrect:afailingconsumerintroubleoravaluedcustomer? The gap betweenthesetwomessagesisenormous.3 The paradox isthateverydaywegettwosetsofmessagesat odds witheachother. Oneisthe"permissive" perspective,"Buy,spend,getitnow.Youneedthis!" Theotherwecouldcallan "upright" message,which urges us,"Workhardandsave. Suspend yourdesires.Avoidluxuries.Controlyour appetite formorethanyoutrulyneed." Thismessagecomestousfrommanysources:fromschool,fromparents,evenfrompoliticalfiguresreferringto"traditionalvalues". Hardwork,familyloyalty,andthecapacitytopostponedesiresarecoreAmericanvaluesthathavemadeourcountrygreat.4 Buttheoppositemessage,advertising'spermissivemessage,isinescapable. Thoughsometimes disguised,themessagesareeverywherewelook:onTV,inmoviesonprintedmediaandroadsigns,instores,andonbusses,trainsandsubways. Advertisementsinvade ourdailylives. Weareconstantlysurroundedbythemessagetospend,spend,spend. Someonerecentlysaid,"Theonlytimeyoucanescapeadvertisingiswhenyou'reinyourbedasleep!"5 It'sbeencalculatedthatbytheageof18,theaverageAmericanwillhaveseen600,000ads;bytheageof40,thetotalisalmostonemillion. Eachadvertisementisdoingits utmost toinfluenceourdiversebuyingdecisions,fromthebreakfast cereal weeattowhichcruise linewewilluseforourvacation. Thereisno shortage ofideasandthingstobuy! Now,ofcourse,wedon'trememberexactlywhattheproductswere,buttheessentialmessageis cemented intoourconsciousness,"It'sgoodtosatisfyyourdesires.Youshouldhavewhatyouwant.Youdeservethebest.So,youshouldbuyit—now!" Afamousadvertisementsaiditperfectly,"Iloveme.I'magoodfriendtomyself.Idowhatmakesmefeelgood.I derive pleasurefromnicethingsandfeel nourished bythem.Iusedtoputthingsoff.Notanymore.TodayI'llbuynewskiequipment,lookatnew compact cars,andbuythatcameraI'vealwayswanted.Ilivemydreamstoday,nottomorrow."6 Whathappensaswetakeinthesecontradictorybut explicit messages? Whatarethepsychologicalandsocialconsequencesofthiscampaigntocontrolourspendinghabits? Ononehand,wewantmorethingsbecausewewanttosatisfyourmaterialappetite. Mostofusderivepleasurefromtreatingourselves. Ontheotherhand,alittlevoiceinsideus echoes thoseuprightmessages:"Watchout,takestock ofyourlife,don'tletyourattentionget scattered.Postponeyourdesires.Don'tfallintodebt.Wait! Retain controloveryourownlife.Itwillmakeyoustronger."7 Anyway,manyoftheskillsyouneedasasuccessfulstudentcanbeappliedtoyourfinances. Consideryourfinancial well-being asakey ingredient ofyouruniversityeducationasmoneyworriesareextremelystressfulanddistracting. Theycanmakeyoufeelterribleand hinder yourabilitytofocusonyourprimeobjective:successfullycompletingyoureducation.8 Howcanyoubeasmartandeducatedconsumer? Manyschools,communityorganizations,andevensomebanksofferfinancialliteracyclasses. Consider consulting withyourschool'sfinancialaidofficeorseek input fromyourparentsorotherrespectedadultsinsettingupabudget. Anadditional option isfindingapartnertohelpyoustayontrackandfindpleasureinthe administration ofyourownfinancialaffairs. Mostimportantly,ifyoufindyourselfgettingintofinancialtrouble,don'tletyour ego getinyourway; urgently gethelpwith tackling yourproblembeforeitspinsoutofcontrolandlandsyouin legal troubles.9Allthiswillhelpyoubecomeaneducatedconsumerandsaver. Asyoulearntobalancespendingandsaving,youwillbecomethecaptainofyourownship,steeringyourlifeinasuccessfulandproductivedirectionthroughthe choppy waters.