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117 Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things that we really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. The whole point of advertising is to encourage us to buy things we dont need. Advertisers are in the business of making money of themselves and their clients. If they manage to sell us something thats good for us too, thats fine. But their primary goal is profit. It begins when were children. Saturday morning childrens television is full of commercials. Over and over again, children see images of toys and games. They see other children who are having the time of their lives. They watch these children and get the message that if they want to have that much fun, they need to buy those things. Thus, at a very early age, were introduced to two ideas: that we want to be like everyone else, and we want to have what everyone else has. This continues throughout our lives. We spend a lot of our money trying to keep up with our neighbors. We buy the latest model cars, have all the latest gadgets in our homes, and live a lifestyle beyond our budgets. Advertising encourages us to define ourselves by what we own rather than by who we are. It encourages a competition of false values and shallow measurements of what matters in our lives. | 
