The very tiresome and grueling yet somehow satisfying manic-speed of life today has undeniable repercussions. There is the satisfaction of being busy towards the point where doing nothing seems to be a punishment instead of a reward. Then, there is the frustration of not being busy enough, constantly looking for more things to do, constantly looking and never finding what it is that makes one contented, this will then most likely lead to “Emotional Distress” (ED) (Carr 1). Howie Carr’s piece “Take $2000 and Call Me in the Morning” argues the misuse of ED as a gateway to money. At first glance, his work could be considered as a credible and humorous piece. However, applying Donna Woolfolk Cross’s strategies in “Propaganda: How Not To Be Bamboozled”…show more content… It is exemplified by Carr’s statement, “thank goodness this new malady is treatable – with massive doses of legal tender” (1). He establishes the negative connotation of money with his sarcastic use of “thank goodness” by giving it a very condescending tone while undermining the word “malady” (Carr 1). It’s as if he wants ED to be regarded as unimportant and as a simple disease that is easily remedied. Since money is seen in a negative light because of corruption and greed, he uses this to make the readers undermine the people who have been diagnosed with ED. He pushes the idea that this disease isn’t really a disease at all but a way to get money. Moreover, Carr’s use of different terminologies for money like “greenbacks” and “pictures of George Washington” (1) that give off a very belittling tone implies the ridiculousness of the lawsuits he presented. He makes the readers think about the economical side while disregarding the psychological side of things. Which in turn, makes the reader think about the absurdity of the anecdotes while ignoring the story behind Carr’s mere description. In Carr’s first example,
A woman, seven months pregnant, applied for a job as a bartender and was turned down. MCAD [Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination] found her ED-positive.