""Too Much Stuff"" and "Shopping and other Spiritual Adventures in America Today"

As stated on the class Discussion page, postings are graded for both form (editing) and content, and they are not simple opinion pieces. Postings are the equivalent to in-class essays in a face-to-face class, so they must show your understanding of the reading, your ability to apply the situations to actual experiences described in precise detail, the depth of your thinking and creativity developing an essay about the topic. A typical posting should be around 300 words long and, when appropriate, incorporate documented quotations from the readings.

Likewise, the responses are not simple "I agree" or "Good job" bits of chat. They need to demonstrate your ability to add examples and ideas to the discussion. Ideally, they will introduce new ways of looking at the topic that will allow others to pick up on your examples and expand on their own discussions. A typical response will be about 150 words.

Remember: discussions are worth 20 points (10 for your posting, 10 for your responses) each, and you must post your response to the Message Board no later than the due date in order to get credit. After the class has posted to the Message Board, read what everybody has to say about the discussion topic and respond to any or all of them (at least one for a "C" and at leat three if you are trying to earn maximum points), and feel free to respond to responses over the next couple of days; responses are due before noon Sunday :)

And remember (and this is true of all discussions and essays for this class) your task is not to agree or disagree with the readings. Just because you don't think shopping has much value in your life does not make Phyllis Rose's essay wrong; it merely means you don't personally value shopping. But Rose does provide actual examples; she is incredibly specific; her conclusions are based on examples. Regardless of your personal feelings, you can also supply examples of other people that you know. Here's the key to this class:

back up all of your conclusions with examples

Answer one of the following questions.

  1. Both articles on "Too Much Stuff" have different ideas about what generates the impulse to acquire "stuff." One suggests there is the guilt attached to getting rid of things associated with personal memories. The other looks back to earlier times when it was a necessary survival mechanism which has continued even though it is not generally necessary (and, in fact, it often makes the quality of life worse, not better).

    This topic is for those of you who can identify with either article (or if you know someone who fits the "too much stuff" profile.

    Look at one place in or around your home--your car's trunk, your junk drawer, your garage, your front yard, your bedroom closet, wherever--that is so crammed with unnecessary "stuff" that, for some reason, you just can't part with. Looking very closely, list exactly what all that stuff is (include type, name, brand, color, size, condition--anyting that will make that visible to the reader. Make sure it is excessive (try for about 350-500 words of very specific things) so that your reader will shout, "Enough! That is just too much." Open or close your list with a sentence or two explaining why you just can't seem to let all of that stuff go (is it sentimentality? guilt? hoarding instinct? laziness? something else?); maybe you are just a committed "collector" (I can relate; I collect things too :)

  2. Phyllis Rose's essay looks at the wealth of material goods available to Americans. But, unlike some who find materialsim shallow, Rose's essay does not attack shopping and consumer goods. Rose actually sees some very positive qualities to shopping, qualities beyond the obvious ability to possess things. Discuss one of the positive qualities in much greater detail. Consider psychological, economic, social qualities.

    Reinforce your analysis of her essay by including documented quotations, but also include some personal or personally-observed examples. You do not have to like shopping (I don't) in order to understand her position and locate real-world examples of it.

    Also, be very careful not to sterotype ("I am a woman, so of course I like to shop"--there is no shopping gene inside females) or over-generalize ("Every time I shop, I find it therapeutic"--that is just not true; your experiences are not all the same). Write about actual, detailed instances. Qualify your answer ("I don't enjoy shopping, but my brother-in-law sure does"). Describe one experience rather than generalize.