Too Much Of A Bad Thing Analysis

Individually, we create a metaphorical puzzle as we reflect on our life. These puzzle pieces represent all of the small-scale decisions we’ve made. Inside of those decisions, also consists of other people and how they influenced our upbringings. When this puzzle is put together, all of these decisions create one large picture. Specifically, Wes Moore’s “puzzle” obtains unfinished than other people, these pieces may not fit particularly well with other pieces, and they may never will. The reader may never perceive why Wes made any of the poor decisions he has made in his lifetime, nevertheless, there’s one large section of the puzzle that holds together–this would be Wes Moore’s influence from drug abuse. The idea of drug abuse continues to be frowned upon by other people. However, what most people may not understand is that there’s an addiction that comes with it, not an addiction to the drugs specifically, though an addiction to the lifestyle that came with it.

An excellent example of the American dream and its rags-to-riches concept is that of Jay Gatsby. Jay Gatsby, legally known as James Gatz, grew up on a farm in North Dakota, rather than into wealth in San Francisco, as he claims in the novel. Gatsby’s dream of being wealthy flourishes when he meets Dan Cody, a wealthy copper mongul. Gatsby starts out as a poor farm boy and transforms into a wealthy sophisticated man. Gatsby’s rags-to-riches success story makes him the embodiment of the American dream (Murphy 1). He has risen from being a poor farm boy and having nothing to having a huge luxurious house, servants, and a large social circle and he achieves this goal in a matter of a few short years, having returned from the war penniless (1). Gatsby works very hard

For example, after Mama puts a down payment on a house that she has been wanting for a number of years she gives the rest of the money to her son to hold on to and make him the head of the family. Within a matter of less then twenty-four hours he loses all of the money because he invested it in a liquor store that he thought would make him rich and a better provider for his family, which is Walters idea od the American dream. Walter made this investment even when everyone told him not to, he never thinks that anybody is there to support him in anything he wants to do “We ain’t no business people, Ruth. We jus plain working folk.” (1791)

In America people always will have the dream of becoming rich. 90% of the time it doesn't work the way that you wanted. The next step down is the middle class. The book The Great Gatsby is a story that revolves around a neighborhood of very wealthy people. A great example of Juxtaposition is the lifestyle between Tom and Nick.

Philip Slater contends in Want-Creation Fuels Americans' Addictiveness that the reliance numerous Americans have on medications is because of continually needing more. The addictive personality of Americans connects past pharmaceuticals, also, addictions of various sorts. Slater argues that because we are told every day that were ignorant, misguided, inadequate, incompetent, and undesirable we can only escape this condition if we indulge, an act that will make us feel better (pg.353). Slater’s point isn't that we're insufficient or any of these negative attributes, however that we're intended to feel that manner if we do not achieve to a positive level. But the level, to which Americans acquire is truly very high.

2. I disagree with Shames’ opinion that the “More Factor” is unique to Americans. I believe that the entirety of mankind has the natural tendency to always want more, want something bigger and better. I also do not think that the concept of “more” is such a bad thing, while Shames shines a rather negative light of the American desire for more. Shames says that the hunger for more is detouring people

For many years, individuals have battled substance abuse and addiction. My position comes from hearing about it, having seeing results from it, and reading about it, also developing my own thoughts about addiction. Weil and Rosen (1993) believe that a drug use (and addiction) results from humans longing for a sense of completeness and wholeness, and searching for satisfaction outside of themselves. McNeece and DiNitto (2012) says the reason why people continue to use drugs to the point of becoming a physically and/ or psychologically dependent on them are more complex, some have tried to explain this

Materialistic items play a key role in the world today. People use these items, such as technological appliances, to fulfill their daily wants and needs. However, most people do not realize the negative effects of such a heavy reliance on material goods. In “The Allegory of the Cave,” Plato shares his idea that an overdependence on items can negatively affect ethical decisions. This idea is discussed in “The Veldt,” by Ray Bradbury, The Truman Show, by Peter Weir, and Daniel Key’s novel, Flowers for Algernon. Throughout all three stories, characters greatly rely on items and other people, leading them to make unethical decisions. In some cases, people are objectified as a result of being needed, desired, and treated unfairly. In “The Veldt,” The Truman Show, and Flowers for Algernon, an overreliance on items leads to a loss of focus on morals and what is ethically important.

Anna Quindlen, a novelist, social critic, and journalist wrote an intriguing essay “Stuff is Not Salvation” about the addiction of Americans, who splurge on materialistic items that have no real meaning. The ability to obtain credit is one of the main reasons to blame for society’s consumption epidemic. However, Quindlen feels the economic decline due to credit card debt is insignificant compared to the underlying issues of American’s binging problems. Quindlen’s essay gives excellent points regarding the differences in America’s typical shopping habits. Additionally, she mentions how people acquire all this “stuff” but seem to never realize, “why did I get this?”(501). Quindlen makes her

One example of this would be Crooks, the african american stable buck. He dreams the American dream and wants to be treated equally with the other workers and live on the farm with George, Lennie, and Candy. He struggles with racial equality throughout the book; for instance Candy was very hesitant to even go into Crooks room. At the end of the book Crooks sadly, has not achieved any of these goals, therefore he was one of the many men who failed his dream. Correspondingly, George and Lennie also failed. They dreamed of owning a small farm and living on their own with the company of Candy and Crooks. Everything seemed as though it was going well until Lennie encountered Curley's wife. Lennie made the biggest mistake of his life by trying to quiet Curly’s wife and breaking her neck on accident. This resulted in George killing Lennie to help him die happy as he was going to get lynched by the other men at the farm anyway. Therefore, both George and Lennie failed to live out the American Dream.

For our Economics subject, we watched The Pursuit of Happyness, a movie based on Chris Gardner, a salesman who was not making that much money and eventually experiences homelessness with his five-year old son. He faces problems when his wife is unwilling to accept his goal to become a stockbroker and leaves him. However, he perseveres even under all this stress.

For example, a drug addict, is repeatedly faced with the moral dilemma of overindulging in pleasure. A drug addict’s high (pleasure) is temporary and within a few hours they are compelled to invest drugs again. An addict’s sole goal in life, is to repeatedly reach a high; their only virtue is pleasure. Virtues such as, friendship, justice, courage, and moderation, that make up the good life are absent in a drug addict’s life. A drug addict also, completely disregards their reputation and allows it to affect their happiness. Developing a good and moral character requires one to always choose the morally right thing, even in difficult and tempting situations.

Every day, hundreds of people experience the overwhelming effects of addictions. Individuals can become addicted to virtually any action or item. If individuals use addictive substances, there will be serious medical repercussions. This paper will focus on the idea of addiction through the fields of anthropology, psychology, and sociology, and how these fields have benefitted this prominent issue. Addictions are currently being researched by various social scientists in an attempt to fully understand their causes and cures.

Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do

Aenonian shopping sprees enforce money to move beyond its required assumption. Sometimes such flamboyant experiences turn into atrocious adventures. These distinctions are being created by our own selves; by not limiting ourselves from reaching to an extent. Albert Einstein was once reported to have said "Once we accept out limits we go beyond them." Indeed when man is free he commits mots sins for he is as free as bird.