Economic Crunch Essay Example

perspectives and insights.

According to Grossman, workers may not be solely motivated by their paycheck, but rather by the experience and the desire to make a positive impact on their lives. He supports his argument by referencing TIME magazine and utilizing insights from professionals in psychology and sociology. Jeffrey Arnett, a developmental psychologist at the University of Maryland, describes this new demographic group as "emerging adulthood" and examines their misunderstood nature in his book.

Grossman argues that young people are often dismissed as overgrown children, but he believes they are actually preparing for adulthood (Grossman 2). Grossman references a psychologist at the University of Maryland who explains that this stage of development is frequently misunderstood in younger generations. Rather than labeling them as "overgrown children," it is more accurate to describe them as striving for success in adulthood. The article also offers substantial factual evidence and statistics to support its assertions.

The "I’m OK, but you’re not" article offers a more personal perspective for readers. The author, Zoellner, shares a specific experience he had one morning in a restaurant. Despite being seated in the smoking area, he enjoyed his breakfast and cigarettes. However, he noticed an older couple sitting just 5 feet away from him in the non-smoking area. The husband approached Zoellner with a tone and manner that reminded him of Lee Iacocca boasting about Chrysler. The husband asked Zoellner to stop smoking.

While smoking his cigarettes, he was asked to extinguish them, which he usually does out of politeness. However, as the couple hurried out of the restaurant, the husband brought his two dogs from the car and let

them urinate and defecate on the lawn. Zoellner believes this real-life anecdote illustrates selective virtue - when one finds their own actions acceptable but condemns others for doing the same.

Zoellner uses descriptive language to portray his surroundings and observations, giving detailed descriptions of the two older couples sitting nearby in the non-smoking area. As the article continues, he delves further into his emotions, as shown by the use of dashes. At first, Zoellner's tone is informative as he explains his addiction to cigarettes: "I have happily gone through three or four packs a day for the past 40 years" (Zoellner 1).

The readers can observe a change in tone as the situation unfolds. Initially innocent, the tone gradually becomes sarcastic. The narrator expresses regret as the four individuals leave, noting that they had made his day. It becomes apparent that they are in a rush, causing the narrator to ungenerously speculate whether the husband is eager to go home and set the first Fall fire in his moss-rock fireplace, or apply the Fall ration of chemical fertilizer to his undoubtedly flawless lawn. This would result in releasing another half-pound of particulate matter into the local atmosphere and introducing an additional 10 pounds of nitrates and other toxins into the surrounding aquifers (Zoellner 3).

Both articles, namely "I'm OK, and you're not" and "Meet the Twixters," possess several common elements. However, I find "Meet the Twixters" more convincing than "I'm OK, but you're not" based on the author's provision of proven facts and statistics in the article. The couples portrayed in "I'm OK, but you're not" are described as considerate individuals who

drove off in a cloud of blue smoke. Even though their car was in need of repair and their emission sticker was misleading, they maintained their dignity. Similar to these couples, Twixters also value taking their time in life to ensure they are on the right path towards achieving their desired future. They invest years into meticulously determining this path.

Zoellner disagrees with the couple's decision to allow their dogs to urinate and defecate on the lawn, just as the couple disagrees with Zoellner's smoking. Both Zoellner and the couple wish for each other to adjust their behaviors.

The distinction lies in the actions being disagreed upon, which only concerns the individual who did not perform them. The significant and evident contrast between the two articles is that one presents a personal scenario, while the other conducts research and presents supporting evidence such as statistics, interviews, and facts regarding twixters. Both articles share a similarity in that they employ various resources and explanations to clarify the motivations and actions in various situations.