Why We Can’t Resist What We Don’t Need — The Hidden Force That Drives Our Buying Habits

<p>Imagine you are sitting in a Starbucks, watching cars honk and pass by. Your mind wanders off&hellip;&hellip; or maybe you are not. You stare at the bus and there&rsquo;s a banner of a recent movie. You look further at the bus stop and you see a poster of a model wearing a luxurious watch with a caption that writes &lsquo;timeless aesthetic&rsquo;.</p> <p>You started to think about if you need it for the wedding of your best friend. Why not? I just got a job promotion and I should celebrate this achievement. At the following weekend, you buy this watch in honour of this milestone.</p> <p><em>Is that you?</em></p> <p>Hear me out, you don&rsquo;t need it at all in the first place.</p> <h2>The deep-rooted mindset</h2> <p>In this time and age, the existence of advertisements is like air. They are in our social media feed, they are on the street, they are EVERYWHERE. We absorb these messages that trick us into believing that we need those products and services to lead a better life.</p> <p>Here&rsquo;s the normal way of thinking: You have an advancement in your career and you want to buy something to mark the accomplishment. You gain a sense of achievement after buying this expensive watch.</p> <p>Maybe you would say I never buy luxurious goods. Consider why you buy Starbucks almost every day. Except for keeping you alert, are you secretly hoping that this will support your lifestyle as a middle class?</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/change-your-mind/why-we-cant-resist-what-we-don-t-need-the-hidden-force-that-drives-our-buying-habits-f2e768b1a9b6">Website</a></p>