From the chapter “Do I really need it?“

From the day you were born to this very morning, you were being conditioned by product advertising, making you – like everyone else around you – a compulsive consumer.

Most people don’t even realise it.

But why would we?

The path to happiness is a fridge that tells you when you’re out of kale. Isn’t it?

Product marketing can be so subtle we only feel its effects as a compulsion or desire to buy all kinds of things we don’t need. It’s no different from the niggling feeling you get trying to quit smoking, sugar, social media apps, or any other modern-day addiction.

We feel compelled to buy products because we believe they’ll make our lives better–when most of the time they don’t do that at all.

We are subliminally (or blatantly) told something is life-changing, limited edition, smarter, greener, trendier, sleeker, sexier, more exclusive, or–most laughably of all–essential.

Read more…