Analysis Of The Word Cheap

The author starts by explaining a question that many people ask about the odd behaviors in poor people and their purchases. She helps to explain this by giving background information on her own family when she was growing up. An event she describes is when her neighbor was unable to obtain benefits to raise her granddaughter after a year, the authors mom dresses “expensively” or nicely to gain an upper hand when asking for their benefits. This is done to further her belief that people buy these things to belong and to gain more privilege. She ends her essay by stating a person cannot judge what a poor person does until they’ve been poor themselves.

This includes a story of her mother who waltzed into a social service agency dressed in an impressive outfit to set straight an issue that her elderly neighbor had trouble with over the past year in a single day (Cottom 1012). To elaborate, she justifies why poor people ordinarily make the choices they do, while conversely questioning them. In her text, “The Logic of Stupid Poor People”, Cottom declares that “We want to belong” (1013). I agree that we want to belong, if you belong you are safe. At one point, her first professional job manager decided she was accordingly “. . . too classy to be on the call center floor.” (Cottom 1014) This proves that putting money into a brand name suit can have a positive influence on others, in this case she gained a high pay raise and her workload was decreased. If poor people spend money on classy outfits, the rich people will perceive them as their own.

I agree with Hill’s argument that one tends to buy more than what they use. I, for instance, am one of those individuals. Hill mentions this by saying “Members of every socioeconomic bracket can and do deluge themselves with products” (Hill 1). For instance, I remember when I received my first payment from babysitting. I was thrilled with the idea of finally being able to rely on myself to buy all the things I wanted. So, I headed towards the mall and went on a shopping spree. As a result, I arrived home with bags of merchandise as I unloaded them I became aware I had bought a lot of things I didn’t need. As the days passed I became conscious of how I didn’t use much of what I had bought but bought them because I liked the idea of being able to buy whatever I wanted without having anyone tell me what I couldn’t buy. Not only does Hills argument make sense but also makes an important

Despite Conwells experiences, his audience repeatedly tried to prove him wrong and noted how awful it was that a Christian minister prefered to advise people to get rich rather than to preach the gospel. But Conwell believed that to make money honestly was to preach the gospel and to be poor was wrong. What the people did not understand was that a wealthy person can also be a pious person. Conwell tells the people that they should have money and it is their Christian and godly duty to do so. To be pious is to be carful of the duties owed by created beings to God; devout, godly, religious¹. The people associated wealth with being dishonest, dishonerable, mean, and contemptible. He told them that to think that to be pious you must be poor and awfully dirty is an terrible misconception.

In Tressie McMillan’s “The Logic of Stupid Poor People”, it changed people’s views on the threat of keeping up with society, and the status symbol people think they must maintain. Society classifies it as Middle class, suburbs, or simply rich and poor. People feel threatened when someone looks better than them, or has something that they do not have. This story killed all reasons to even feel this way. McMillan also linked this story back to her own personal childhood. Their family was a classic black American migration family, with rural Southern roots. During this time most African Americans were considered as poor. Her family

In the short story “Shopping” by Joyce Oates, we experience the mother, Mrs. Dietrich, doing multiple things for her daughter, Nola, such as buying her expensive clothing. The author agrees when she writes, “...though the sweater by Sergio Valente, even ‘drastically reduced,’ is certainly not cheap. Mrs. Dietrich feels the motherly obligation to register a mild

It seems to most that those who have money have it all. They should buy all the unnecessary “junk” that one might find pleasure in owning, take everything for granted and view lower-class individuals as a group of wanna-bes. Think again. S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, very important propositions are portrayed through the writing techniques which link to another piece of writing “Poverty and Wealth” written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Just because you have everything, doesn’t mean you understand it's worth. Different classes have different experiences, allowing elaboration on the different characters.

As if this was not enough, Ms.Cottom also contradicts what the main idea of the article was assumed to be about. She says the reason why poor people buy expensive appeal is to fit in, but consequently, she also says “It might not work. It

I put a high importance on the most important items first such as groceries, dog food, and gas expenses. Although after analyzing my spending habits, I have realized that almost all of my purchases are wants, rather than needs. I always feel like I need more clothes and to eat out, however, in reality I have plenty of clothes and a house full of food. I usually decide what to purchase because it sounds good or looks good in that moment of time; however, after I make the purchase I often feel a little guilty, which is an obvious problem.

People judge other people because of their social class.For example, in page 29 of the book “The Watsons Go To Birmingham”,Kenny Watson explained that whenever somebody new started their school the ,students would take time and see what the new kids were like. The students would check what type of clothes the new kids wore.Kids that wore brand clothes would make fun of the new kids like Rufus because of their raggedy clothes. Rich people and poor people

Thank you for your thoughtful reply! I agree with you on the part you said people need to understand what they can afford to buy and what they can have. It is a bad idea to try to buy something that you will not be able to pay, and even worse is to buy it knowing that it will generate more expenses for you. That is why we have to think twice before making a decision because bad decisions lead to serious

While on a shopping trip, a group of my friends had decided to purchase the more expensive designer clothing. I, on the other hand, was attracted to my favorite attire – a generic tee-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts.

Even with my personal problems, I also have had to make other adjustments in my life. We all know college is very expensive, so money is very limited. I was never really good with money until I started going back to school. I am used to shopping and going out to eat everyday. When the time came for me to cut back on my spending, it was like someone stabbed a knife through my heart. It not like I can’t go shopping anymore, it just means I just can’t buy the high-priced, premium items now. For example, I’m used to buying Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. The only way I am saving money is by just staying away from those three stores. In just two months I have saved lots of money.

Picture this, you wake up in the morning, you go to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee and eat a bowl of cereal. The coffee is not Folders, but instead it is Best Way Coffee a store brand type. The cereal is not Fruit Loops, but Best Way Fruity Hoops. What you just had for breakfast was some inferior goods. This does not mean that they are less quality or bad tasting, they are just a goods that are considered a lesser brand then those big company products. You purchase inferior goods since your income is not as great has you hope for and you have to stay within your budget.

Wearing nice clothes and eating fancy food means nothing if the person behaves like a child. A person wearing dirty clothes and eating out of the garbage may behave better. This is why prejudging people can often wrong. A bum with good manners and behavior would be more pleasant to be around than a rich, snob with no manners and horrible behavior. One cannot have a full outlook on an individual by just viewing their dress and eating habits. Looking at someone’s clothing or what is in their refrigerator does not depict behavior.