The relativity of values causes us to use money irrationally. I go to the supermarket to buy a $15 pen, and the clerk smiles and says, “You can buy this pen for $7 if you walk 5 minutes from here.” Then, most people walk five minutes and buy a $15 pen for $7. But if you want to buy a $1,000 jacket and the clerk smiles and says, “You can get a $992 jacket in five minutes from here,” most people simply buy the $1,000 jacket. Reasonably, walking for 5 minutes equals the effort, and the profit of $8 is the same. However, people might go to a store that sells pens cheaper, but not for the jacket, because the discount rate is too low. In other words, the relativity of comparing values makes us act irrationally. The pen’s discount rate is 55%, and the jacket’s is only 0.8%. Yet, the total amount is the same for all $8, and the effort to gain that profit is identical. Attitudes and misconceptions about consumption influence how we build wealth. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Identifying my existence prompts the question: how can I prove it? We can define existence in biological terms, but first, we must approach it philosophically. This is achieved through the concept of a “statement.” The expressions “I am OO” or “you are OO” serve as philosophical assertions rather than scientific proof. If we dismiss the significance and authority of these statements, we encounter numerous problems and discomfort, as they lead me to doubt everyone I encounter. Statements are the fundamental components of a narrative. They delineate existence, with definitions articulated through sentences that create the story’s context. This entire framework is referred to as a “narrative.” - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”