Discussion Report on Set 8, AL1998

The topic we were discussing was to prepare a talk for lower forms on how to use their money more wisely. We all thought that there were a lot of advertisements and commercials trying to mislead audience, especially teenagers who were not mature. Thus, our discussion was mostly around how to help the lower form students to have an independent thinking and critical minds.

First of all, we decided to tell them some examples of the misleading advertisement. We thought of the example of some cigarettes. This kind of advertisement, or commercial, were usually composed for a smart and handsome man, giving the images to a youngster that smoking makes a person look smart. This issue would attract them. However, smoking could not make a person smart. Thus, we decided to tell them to distinguish between promotion and the truth.

On the other hand, some of our members suggested to introduce the magazine, Choice, which is published by the Consumer Council, to the lower form students. However, the contents of Choice magazine are usually concerning about the electrical appliances, domestic goods, to list just a few. Most of them are irrelevant to the daily lives of teenagers. So at last we reached a consensus that we would not pay much attention to introducing Choice magazine, or we will just have a few words to tell them there is such a magazine available.

We will also suggest students to ask their parents' opinions when they are buying something expensive. The real transaction of goods in the factual world can effectively train ones' independent thinking. Sometimes when the goods the youngsters want to buy is expensive, they must ask for the opinions of adults about the product to see if the goods is really worth buying. We should tell the junior students to buy things only when we are in need.

All in all, we agreed that when we are buying something, we have to concern about the price, usefulness and the quality of the goods. We have to give the junior students an advice that try to study and compare some similar goods and buy the optimum one which is rather cheap and in good quality.

Outline

1. Introduction: advertisement and commercials sometimes mislead audiences
2. Opinions given to lower form students about how to be wise consumers

1. give examples of misleading commercials: cigarette commercials
2. introduce Choice magazine, though it may not be very useful for teenagers
3. tell them to ask their parents
4. buy things only when they are in need

1. Conclusion: we have to concern about price, usefulness and quality of goods when we buy it