Burlington High School
Burlington, Kansas
Teacher: Devra Parker
The Lack of Excellence in the Marketplace
By Cari Foster
12th grade
What is a good deal in America? The phrases two for the price of one, half off, and buy one and get the second one free, flood our market place. The questions we never ask are: Do I need two of these? Was the first item worth the purchase? Is the item even worth half its original price? These questions so often neglected should be major determiners in purchasing an item. In America, excellence has been abandoned in the marketplace.
A major contributor to the problem in our market is fashion and trends. Trends and fashions move quickly through our market, and revolutionize the availability of products’ consistently. As a trend pushes another trend out of the market, producers find more inexpensive ways to make the new product in order to respond to the demand for the new fashion in the marketplace. The failure in this is that often the products that are developed in response to demand for the new trend are often cheap. Therefore, they do not satisfy consumers for long. When the product is determined worthless, a new trend is quickly developed. This new trend replaces the old trend, beginning a cycle of producing and consuming products of almost no worth.
Furthermore, producers do their best to make the maximum amount of profit out of a product. Often, producers will knowingly make a product that is no better than the products that are already available in the marketplace. The product will look better because it will come with more attachments or it will have a brand name, or it will come in a new box. Essentially, the product must attract a variety of consumers. Otherwise the product will not sell. The problem is that consumers are receiving the same product with the same value with a different price tag.
Not long ago America experienced the Barbie epidemic. Every girl had to have a Barbie. Every girl had a Barbie. There was a Barbie for every personality and every occasion. The problem with this was that the makers of Barbie put out a new Barbie with a new look consistently causing girls all over the nation to compete in having the newest, most extravagant Barbie. The demand for Barbie rose, and so did her prices. Yet, she sold, and still sells today.
In response to this I ask, what is the value of this doll? One should question whether a thirty dollar doll will be enough, or whether a new doll will be necessary to purchase upon the creation of a more fashionable product. I also reflect that the original Barbie was identified as timeless. Today, the new Barbie’s are created with allowance for the next doll to outshoot it, in order to keep consumers wanting more. If consumers will buy a product regardless of its quality, producers will profit off from them, and continue making the product as is with no improvement. If consumers are satisfied with the product, there is no need to change it.
An issue that I would like to point out is shelf shopping. I call it this because consumers will buy what is available to them even if it does not perform well. It’s similar to when a person is in pain; he takes any pain reliever that is available to him at the time. Often the painkiller is not strong enough, so he continues to have pain. Although the painkiller he used did not work, it benefited the consumer by dulling the pain. A person would not, however, refuse the painkiller and go without it because even the weaker painkiller that was available would help. This is somewhat like our marketplace; we do not resist from buying what is available because it is not good enough until there is an alternative.
Consumers could improve the marketplace. It could be done through rejection of the products that are not excellent. If the consumers do not buy products that do not satisfy the need, producers will stop making products that do not satisfy the consumers’ demands. It is entirely up to us the consumers of America to change our own market. We determine whether an item stays on the market or not the moment we take the item off of the shelf.
If we work on our market and refuse items that are not good enough, we can improve the excellence throughout our nation. Producers will be forced to create products that perform well. We can change our economy and America will be known again for greatness and achievement if we improve our standards.
I know that America could do better as a whole, and that the first place that’s needs improvement is our marketplace. I know that in producing better products, our nation will rise again as an example. Other countries see America as a great nation worthy of admiration. Our marketplace is a disgrace to our nation’s abilities and resources. In improving our nation, we encourage other nations to follow suit. That is why it is crucial for our nation to reveal excellence in everything we accomplish.
Answers To Questions Re: Required Reading
Q1- Am I really where I want to be?
When asked this question my first instinct was to answer yes, this is where I want to be. Still, as this question echoed in my mind, I thought of all the things I could have accomplished by now. I thought about all the improvements I want to make in the world, and it became clear to me that I am not where I want to be. I can make my life and the lives around me better.
Q2- Am I moving in the direction that will enable me to make the greatest contribution?
Although I am not where I would like to be, I think that I am headed in the right direction, and that if I continue to strive to do my best in those things that I do, that I will be where I want to be in the world. I would like to be a major influence in the world and improve it by my actions. I think that by following the path that I am on, I will make t he greatest contribution that I am able to offer.
Q3- if I could achieve my highest goals, what would my accomplishments look like?
My accomplishments would be few and meaningful; I would like to focus on a few good things, to improve the world around me, rather than spreading myself to thin. I can accomplish much if I am focused, and have a few goals, rather than many that will not accomplish anything. I would like to improve the standards in the U.S. I believe that this must be done, by improving the economy and creating more stability in the market. If the economy improves, I believe that people will look for more quality rather than the next “good deal.”
Q4- Do I recognize excellence and search it out or do I find mediocre acceptable and am I willing to settle?
The search for excellence is a constant theme in the story of my life. If something is no good there is no point in having it. If it is almost good, it is not yet good enough. Almost is not a word I want to develop in my life. Almost is not excellent. Recognizing excellence is an easy task, once it is found, it is obvious that it is better than everything else. However, finding excellence is difficult, many times, what is excellent is limited, and not available to everyone.
Q5- Do I seek out people, books, movies, and other things that encourage me to be the best I can be?
I value encouragement. When I read books or watch movies that motivate me to do well, I feel that it is worth while. My friends and family lift those around them and strengthen them, they are worthy of my time. I seek out more uplifting things daily, and often I find some. These are what help me to be a better person everyday.
Q6- Do I recognize the best in others?
I am careful to watch others, and see what they do best, they help me learn and grow. Without them, it takes me longer to figure out the best method to accomplish my goals. Ultimately, they help me see the world from different perspectives, and I have learned much because of this. Often, others Often others accomplish what I could not. It is important to recognize that others have skills that I do not.
Time article
Q7- Do you agree with Morrow (paragraph seven) that: “Excellence demands standards. It does not usually flourish in the midst of rapid hectic change. This country’s sheer velocity has subverted the principle of excellence; a culture must be able to catch its breath.”
I agree with morrow’s statement. In the fast moving ever forging forward USA, standards are not allowed to be set upon the excellence of anything. By the time it has been determined what is excellent, our world has moved on. The difference between our nation and others is that they care whether what they have developed is excellent, while we move forward to prove that we can do more.
Q8- Interpret this quote from paragraph nine: “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.”
This quote points out that those at ease in the status Quo are not trying to improve the world around them. Those that are relaxed with what they have may not recognize that they do not have the best. They may be missing out on vast improvements that could be made. Essentially, this quote points out that those who do not do anything deserve the little they receive, and no more.
Q9- Argue pro and con Morrow’s contention that “Americans not yet successful (the struggling, the underclass) are apt to aim at ease, not excellence”?
The pro on this is that those who struggle, take what they get, and treat it as gold. However, the con on this is that they do not expect excellence, so they do not get it. This causes a large amount of people to accept what is no worthy of acceptance.
Q10- Explain what Morrow means when he says (A) “the confusion contaminates character and disables ambition.” Do you agree?
I do agree that confusion causes a person to lose their character at times, and comply with the lower standards that are available. It also causes people to not move forward and do better, and not set goals to beat the status quo.
Q11- Argue pro and con the effect of over stimulation and under stimulation as discussed in paragraph 10.
The up side of this is that over stimulation causes people to work harder to reach the same standards as the over stimulation. The down, or con side of this is that this is not always reachable, so the over stimulation confuses us. Then we find a way to cover the problem, which causes new problems.
Q12- Contrast practical excellence with metaphysical excellence as used in Morrow’s last paragraph.
Practical excellence is excellence that means that the object spoken of satisfies expectations. Metaphysical excellence is different, it exceeds expectations. Metaphysical excellence is more than is expected it is the kind of excellence that is the best that can possibly be under the circumstances.
Q13- Copy and Interpret your two favorite quotes. Explain why you chose them.
“I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.” – William Henley (1849-1903)
“Let him who would move the world, first move himself.”
These quotes are my favorite quotes listed. They show that I am in control of every opportunity that crosses my path. They also show me that how I respond to this is entirely up to me. Excellence can be channeled through my own actions. If I see the way to improve something, and expect it to be improved, I should do it myself. That is the how I can bring more excellence into the world.