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If living in the U.S., do you feel as confused and manipulated as I do with this question, “Should I spend or should I save?” I think that the messages we get from our environment seem to (1)______ common sense and (2)______ each other. The government tells us to spend or we’ll never get out of the (3)______ . At the same time, we are encouraged to save more, or our country will be in grave danger. Banks offer higher interest rates so we increase savings. Then the same banks send us credit card offers so we can spend more. Here’s another familiar example. If we don’t pay our credit card bill on time, we get demanding emails from the credit card company saying something like, “Your failure to pay is unacceptable. Make sure you pay immediately or a further (4)______ will apply.” Then, as soon as we pay, we get a follow-up email in a charming tone telling us how valuable a customer we are and encouraging us to (5)______ spending. Which depiction is correct, a failing consumer or a valued customer? The gap between these two messages is (6)______. The paradox is that every day we get two sets of messages at (7)______ with each other. One is the “permissive” perspective, “Buy, spend, and get it now. You need this!” The other, which we could call an “upright” message, urges us, “Work hard and save. Suspend your desires. Avoid (8)______ . Control your appetite for more than you truly need.” This message comes to us from many sources: from school, from parents, and even from political figures who like to (9)______ to the traditional values - hard work, family loyalty, and the capacity to (10)______ desires.