Don’t Buy It audiobook cover - The Trouble with Talking Nonsense About the Economy

Don’t Buy It

The Trouble with Talking Nonsense About the Economy

Anat Shenker-Osorio

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Economics

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Don’t Buy It
Economic Reality vs. Narrative+
The Power of Metaphors+
Conservative Linguistic Tactics+
Progressive Language Traps+
Effective Progressive Reframing+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
According to the text, why does the declining disposable income of the lower and middle classes directly harm overall economic output in the United States?
  • A. Because the government relies on income taxes from the middle class to fund corporate bailouts.
  • B. Because the United States economy is highly dependent on consumer expenditure for growth.
  • C. Because low-income households are more likely to default on their mortgages.
  • D. Because wealthy individuals tend to save their money rather than invest it in domestic businesses.
Question 2 of 8
Despite the public anger and influx of progressive voices following the 2007 financial crisis, how did conservatives ultimately win the post-2007 economic debate?
  • A. By successfully arguing that government interference in the economy had caused the crisis.
  • B. By proving that the financial sector bailouts were economically beneficial to the middle class.
  • C. By shifting the public's focus toward foreign policy and international trade agreements.
  • D. By adopting progressive language to make their neoliberal policies sound more appealing.
Question 3 of 8
In a study by two Stanford psychologists, how did participants' views change when they read passages describing crime as a 'beast' rather than a 'virus'?
  • A. They became more apathetic about urban crime and less likely to vote in local elections.
  • B. They were more likely to support social welfare programs to eradicate the root causes of crime.
  • C. They were more likely to support harsher law-and-order techniques to fight crime.
  • D. They favored immunization and community health initiatives over police funding.
Question 4 of 8
Why do conservative politicians frequently use words like 'ailing,' 'fragile,' and 'recovery' to describe the economy?
  • A. To suggest that the economy is a man-made machine that requires careful fine-tuning by experts.
  • B. To imply that financial crises are natural occurrences that will heal on their own without government interference.
  • C. To emphasize the psychological toll that economic downturns take on low-income individuals.
  • D. To argue that the government must act as a 'doctor' and intervene aggressively to save the system.
Question 5 of 8
According to the author, which metaphor should progressives use to effectively argue for government intervention and regulation in the economy?
  • A. A delicate ecosystem
  • B. A strict teacher
  • C. A patient in need of medicine
  • D. A moving car
Question 6 of 8
Why does the author advise progressives to stop using the word 'crisis' when describing the 2007 financial collapse?
  • A. It suggests an unexpected event that will sort itself out naturally, contradicting the need for intervention.
  • B. It is too emotionally charged and alienates moderate voters who prefer calm, rational debate.
  • C. It implies that specific individuals in the financial sector deliberately orchestrated the collapse.
  • D. It sounds too academic and fails to resonate with the everyday struggles of working-class Americans.
Question 7 of 8
What is the primary danger of using the passive voice (e.g., 'people are losing their homes') when discussing economic events?
  • A. It makes economic concepts too abstract for the general public to understand.
  • B. It obscures the responsible actors, prevents accountability, and can lead to victim-blaming.
  • C. It artificially inflates the severity of the economic damage caused by financial institutions.
  • D. It implies that the government is solely responsible for all negative economic outcomes.
Question 8 of 8
Why are vertical metaphors like 'the top 20 percent' or 'the bottom' problematic for the progressive agenda?
  • A. They are statistically inaccurate and easily disproven by conservative economists.
  • B. They fail to account for the middle class, polarizing the debate unnecessarily.
  • C. They imply notions of natural hierarchy and deservedness, which align with conservative narratives.
  • D. They suggest that the economy is a man-made structure rather than a natural phenomenon.

Don’t Buy It — Full Chapter Overview

Don’t Buy It Summary & Overview

Don’t Buy It (2012) explores the ways language influences our understanding of complex issues. Anat Shenker-Osorio brings her research and expertise to bear on a question that plagues progressives: why do conservatives always win economic debates in the United States, despite the deep inequality and structural injustice epitomized by the financial crash and the Great Recession? These blinks answer this question by analyzing the language employed on either side of the political spectrum.

Who Should Listen to Don’t Buy It?

  • Anyone who identifies as a political progressive
  • Anyone who’s interested in how language affects societies
  • Students of English, economics, sociology and politics

About the Author: Anat Shenker-Osorio

Anat Shenker-Osorio is a strategic communications expert, researcher and pundit specializing in public affairs and social issues in the United States. Her past clients have included the Ford Foundation, the Roosevelt Institute, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Ms. Foundation.

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