Buy Nothing Day 2010B

Question 1

argumentative essay - consider the implications

Answer 1

you may have to evaluate the implications of something in an argumentative essay

Question 2

understand the prompt

Answer 2

when an essay prompt tells you to “consider the implications” you need to think about the pros and cons or positive and negative sides of the issue

Question 3

brainstorm ideas

Answer 3

you can brainstorm by making a list of the pros and cons

Question 4

choose a position

Answer 4

evaluate your list of pros and cons. then make a decision about which side of the issue you support

Question 5

develop your position

Answer 5

you can pull your supporting claims from the pros list if you agree with the issue OR pull from the cons list if you disagree with it. it’s really important that you make connections to tie all your claims together

Question 6

possible essay outline 1

Answer 6

i. introduction your position
ii. list the pros
iii. list the cons
iv. conclusion - tie ideas together to prove your position

Question 7

possible essay outline 2

Answer 7

i. introduction - we shouldn’t have it
ii. bad for economy (with implications)
iii. useless anyway (with implications)
iv. conclusion - reiterate your position

Question 8

what claim might you include in the paragraph about the pros?

Answer 8

• by not buying something, you might realize that you don’t need the thing after all

Question 9

paragraph iii

Answer 9

• people would still buy what they want, just on a different day

Question 10

paragraph ii

Answer 10

• when people don’t buy things, businesses can’t pay employees to work, and the economy falls apart
• factories might have to shut down; if no one is buying from them, factories can’t pay employees

Question 11

what claim might you include in the paragraph about the cons?

Answer 11

• store owners would still need money, so they would just create new ways to get people to buy

Question 12

warrant

Answer 12

• consumerism will lead tot he destruction of cherished family time and holidays
• this symbolic day of activism would send a clear message that we’re tired of rich getting richer
• people that focus on material gains often ignore a life long quest for spiritual meaning
• too many campaigns for change on millions of issues have created an apathetic populace

Question 13

data

Answer 13

• armchair activism
• large corporations like Walmart and target have extremely high profit margins
• black Friday now begins the evening of the Thanksgiving Holiday
• a 2015 PEW report shows that 80% of Americans are in debt, 29% of which is credit card debt
• corporations create excessive waste in production, in packaging, and in shipping
• Americans often seek to make a lot of money and spend that money to live comfortably
• while black Friday occurs thanksgiving evening, people still shop on other days

Question 14

claim

Answer 14

• a buy nothing day is a good idea because materialism harms people spiritually