Black Friday is here. And you, how are you?
“The success of Black Friday is a symbol of the triumph of consumerism as a way of life in today's society, where we consume, replace, and discard at an ever-increasing and, therefore, unsustainable pace,” Pablo Ruisoto, Professor of Psychology at the University of Navarra.
If your dissatisfaction comes from not yet having something, it has nothing to do with money.
F.o.M.O (abbreviation forfear of missing out) is a strange feeling or even the fear ofbeing left out, not being able to keep up or participate in everything that happens in real life and on social media. This creates an unhealthy curiosity about what others are doing, wearing, eating, and even feeling.
“People are ctrl C + ctrl V but they think they are unique and exclusive, wearing the same things they bought at Miami outlets. They are worth the clothes they have and not the books they read. And when they read a book, it's the trendy one,” Fernando Kimura at the TEDx lecture.
“The success of Black Friday is a symbol of the triumph of consumerism as a way of life in today's society, where we consume, replace, and discard at an ever-increasing and, therefore, unsustainable pace,” Pablo Ruisoto, Professor of Psychology at the University of Navarra.
Stores take advantage of events like Black Friday to bombard us and make us feel bad about what we don't yet have. I read ads and my mind translates them to: “Buy this blogger's product that no one needs, but everyone has. And buy it now because it's a limited edition, there are only 3 units, and it's on sale, today only.”
Several triggers used by the media: scarcity, urgency, exclusivity, authority… there used to be 7, but now people talk about 50 mental triggers to make us buy on impulse. Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow, says that we take quick, thoughtless actions because our body wants to save the energy that would be consumed by reflecting on something.
What I have to say about this:When I connected with myself, the environment lost much of its effect on me. Comparisons no longer make sense, and buying ceased to be something pleasurable. It's almost an antidote to triggers, even on my most tired or frustrated days.
What tips could I leave here for this Black Friday? A few! But the internet is already full of them, and the text would become immense. So I've summarized what I think is most important:
Make a list of everything you want to buy before being caught by the triggers and impulses of ads.
Categorize as:
Important not urgent: leave it for later
Urgent but not so important: don't buy
Important and urgent: this is your priority for Black Friday. Research prices beforehand to avoid falling for fake promotions.
After that, with the list in hand, I offer some reflections:
What real need is behind this purchase?
What is my hard-earned money funding with this purchase?
What impacts am I generating on the environment?
The greatest discount is when I don't buy
It's worth taking a step back and looking at our choices with presence. If you pay attention, the predictable saves you.You need more awareness, presence, and attention than discipline, control, and organization. Because afterwards, the financial hangover comes.
I conclude with Nassim Nicholas Taleb: "True success is abandoning the frantic scramble, and starting to modulate our activities aiming to achieve peace of mind."
So, are your choices bringing you closer to this or further away?
Thank you very much and see you next week!!