Summary Of What Isn T For Sale

The fact that a person can buy anything from a simple meal to a comfortable jail cell tells you how much the world has changed over the years. And if they have the right amount of money, all they have to do is pick up their phone. As Sandel puts it “We live in a time when almost everything can be bought and sold” (Sandel 442 – 447). Living in a world where things are so easily acquired also means living in a world where things are easily forgotten. In his essay “What Isn’t For Sale?” Sandel gives a few way people can make money or use it to ease life. The example range from paying a second grader to read to paying a surrogate mother in India. While some of these things can be understandable, why pay a doctor $1,500 for their private number? With there being a price on almost everything, people spend without a second thought. Some of the effects of commercialization are targeting children in schools, a lack of appreciation for small things, and large event sales.
Today advertiser can reach their audience almost anywhere, including schools.
Big companies are sponsoring everything from lunches, to texts books, to sporting events. Ruskin and Schor stated that “Corporations spend $15 billion marketing to children in the United States each year” (Ruskin and Schor 487 – 491). Majority of this began when TV’s were added to classrooms at the expense of large companies. But was the price worth it? By allowing these TV’s and educational programs into the classrooms, they also had to allow companies to run commercial. On top of that are the advertisements that children interact with on social sites and television at home. This onset of advertisements create a cycle. Either a child who’s given everything they want, and has no control as an adult. Or one who goes through life wanting, and possible has no control once they are an adult and providing for themselves. Which only creates more debt in the country either
way.
Who cares about the small television they watched growing up, when they can afford a “50” Plasma today? Or the shoes their parents struggled to provide, when their buying three and four new pair a month as an adult? Part of the problem is that a lot people take pride and value in the wrong things. In her essay Quindlen compares the excitement she felt getting a doll she wanted, and her father getting an orange during the Great Depression many years ago. Today the type of pure joy her father experienced is hard to come by. The excitement of a new item tend to only last a few weeks or months and then it’s gone. That’s because every few months to a year there is some kind of upgrade. And although they typically do the same things, most phone companies come out with a new design each year. Promises of supposedly being bigger and better than the last to draw consumers in. With the pressure to fit in a lot of people feel the need to always have the newest toy. Getting rid of practically new items that only appear old because something new is out. But as Quindlen said “….stuff does not bring salvation” (Quindlen 502 - 504).
Quindlen also talks about an incident that accord at a Walmart during a large holiday event. These sales are considered so important to people that they act crazy and inconsiderate. And with these sales come the promise of savings and all the things people have been wanting all year long. Although most Americans are in deep debt, people still flock to large event sales. With one every season there is no surprise people are unable to save. For examples: the fall blowouts, after Christmas sale, Cyber Monday, and Black Friday. These sales usually offer large amounts off of popular items. And to "help" consumers with their purchases, stores offer credit deals. An extra certain percent off if you they use your their credit line with them. Or a certain percent off if you they apply for a new line of credit, and get approved.
All in all today it’s a vicious cycle that starts with children. The advertiser reach them young, they spend their life wanting things, and as adults buy into large sale schemes. With all of the pressure that people feel to have the next best thing as well as provide their kids with the things they went without, the level of debt in this country is of no surprise.