In her essay “In Praise of Chain Stores,” Virginia Postrel quotes consultant Robert Gibbs: “‘If people like shopping at the Banana Republic or the Gap, if that’s your market—or Payless Shoes—why not?’ says an exasperated Gibbs. ‘Why not sell the goods and services people want?’” (para. 10). How would Wendell Berry reply to Gibbs’s question? Juliet Schor? John Kenneth Galbraith? Henry David Thoreau? Joan Smith? Provide a brief response of a sentence or two for each.
Chapter 7 - Making Connections: In her essay “In Praise of Chain Stores,” Virginia Postrel quotes consultant Robert Gibbs: “‘If people like shopping at the Banana Republic or the Gap, if that’s your market—or Payless Shoes—why not?’ says an exasperated Gibbs. ‘Why not sell the goods and services people want?’” (para. 10). How would Wendell Berry reply to Gibbs’s question? Juliet Schor? John Kenneth Galbraith? Henry David Thoreau? Joan Smith? Provide a brief response of a sentence or two for each.
How might Thoreau, Berry, Galbraith, Schor, Smith, Phyllis Rose, or Postrel respond to the Forbes Price Index of Luxury Goods? Write a one- to two-sentence response from each.
Chapter 7 - Making Connections: How might Thoreau, Berry, Galbraith, Schor, Smith, Phyllis Rose, or Postrel respond to the Forbes Price Index of Luxury Goods? Write a one- to two-sentence response from each.
Why are the words “necessities” and “liberations” in quotation marks in “Waste” by Berry? How would Thoreau regard Berry’s use of “necessities”? How would Rose regard his use of “liberations”? Explain.
Chapter 7 - Making Connections: Why are the words “necessities” and “liberations” in quotation marks in “Waste” by Berry? How would Thoreau regard Berry’s use of “necessities”? How would Rose regard his use of “liberations”? Explain.
Compare Schor’s concluding rhetorical question with Galbraith’s main idea. How would he answer her question?
Chapter 7 - Making Connections: Compare Schor’s concluding rhetorical question with Galbraith’s main idea. How would he answer her question?
Thoreau describes luxuries and “comforts” as “hinderances to the elevation of mankind” (para. 4). Rose sees the “spiritual side of shopping” and views it as a “time of reflection, assessment, spiritual self-discipline” (para. 9). Imagine a brief dialogue between the two writers. What would each say?
Chapter 7 - Making Connections: Thoreau describes luxuries and “comforts” as “hinderances to the elevation of mankind” (para. 4). Rose sees the “spiritual side of shopping” and views it as a “time of reflection, assessment, spiritual self-discipline” (para. 9). Imagine a brief dialogue between the two writers. What would each say?
Chapter 7 - Making Connections: How would Rose respond to Smith’s argument?
Smith remarks, “The most compelling reason to buy these new things is not the status they afford but their promise to make life easier and/or more fun” (para. 11). Which of the writers in this Conversation would agree? Which would disagree? Why? Do you agree?
Chapter 7 - Making Connections: Smith remarks, “The most compelling reason to buy these new things is not the status they afford but their promise to make life easier and/or more fun” (para. 11). Which of the writers in this Conversation would agree? Which would disagree? Why? Do you agree?
Compare what Postrel says in paragraph 9 with the main ideas in the piece by Rose (p. 482).