Transcription
Okay, for today, we are going to talk about the material self, also known as the economic self. And we're going to discuss concepts such as materialism and consumerism, and what can we do in order to have more control over our behaviors. Okay, so here are some guide questions to start this discussion.
Okay, look at this. The first one is, if a miracle happened and the problem that you have disappeared overnight, so think of any problem you're experiencing right now. And for some reason, while you were sleeping, a miracle has happened and your problem is now gone or it was solved. The question is, how would you know that it was solved and what would be different?
And this is a question that psychologists typically use. And you know what, a lot of people will, they won't even think about it in detail. And they would immediately say that perhaps when I wake up, I would have won the lottery, or I would have, I would have three million in, um, in my money or in my, in the bank. And with that, all my problems would be solved. So by saying that, I'm not saying to you that that should be your goal. But rather, I want you to know that there are a lot of people who try to pursue materialistic and financial desires, and they think that it would solve all of their problems. And sometimes it does. But sometimes, even though you don't have financial problems, you deserve for more because you think that it would bring happiness. Again, we have raised a lot of questions in psychology such as, does money bring happiness? And some would say yes, but some would say no.
Well, now let's try to get the perspective of what we call positive psychology. Okay, so to bring that, to bring that into the discussion, I will raise the next question to you. So, if you win the lottery, how happy would you be?
To make it better, let me ask you, on a scale of one to ten, how happy would you be if you have won the lottery? Perhaps you would say ten. And there's no problem with that because that's a normal response to such a situation. However, let's change the question. Ten years after winning the lottery, how happy would you be on the scale of one to ten? You know what, a lot of people would still say that their happiness will remain high. However, research in positive psychology and well-being would say that it's not as high as we predict. Why? Because eventually, we get used to that kind of happiness, and it's no longer new to us. That's why our level of happiness declines. It goes back to its normal level. Say, for example, your normal level of happiness is six. You think that after ten years of winning the lottery, your happiness would still be a ten. However, research in psychology would say that it will go back to six. Why? Imagine yourself being rich for ten years, then you will be used to that kind of lifestyle, and you will no longer see anything new with it.
So, am I telling you that you should not desire, um, to be rich, or you should not desire to have a lot of money? Well, I'm not saying that to you. But rather, what I'm saying is that don't think that it's the only source of happiness.
Why? Look at this third question. Do you like to have a lot of? Do you want to have new gadgets? Do you want to have a new phone or a new laptop? Or do you want to have, um, do you want to have the latest gadget in the market right now?
So, think of this situation. Compared to the previous generation, we have more gadgets now. And we think that more gadgets equals higher amount of happiness, or the happier we are. So, if we're going to follow that line of reasoning, we're going to say that perhaps this generation is a lot happier compared to earlier generations because back then they don't have cell phones. And right now, I enjoy using my cell phone, hence they're not as happy as I am right now.
So, there's nothing wrong with such an assumption. But guess what? Coming from positive psychology, it was discovered that we are not happier in comparison to people back then. Even with all the gadgets, some would even say that our level of happiness is lower in comparison to them. Why? Because the more you acquire, the more you desire for greater things. And what we're talking about is what we call materialism and consumerism.
And materialism doesn't only exist with material things. But rather, it may also exist in your desires. For example, you desire to have high grades. It's not important if you learn nothing. It's not important if you did not really learn that much. What's important for you is to have high grades. I'm not generalizing. I know that there are people listening to this lecture who would prefer to learn than having high grades. But in my experience as a professor, I know that most of the students would prefer to have high grades because it would either make them happy, make them feel superior, or make their parents happy. Again, coming from the perspective of positive psychology, it would make you happy at first. But eventually, you will get used to it. What if you're a top student? Your parents will get used to your high performance. That if you lose, or if your performance declines, your parents will be unhappy. But think about it. You're performing well. You're just being unhappy because you're comparing your life to other people.
Materialism. And materialism doesn't bring happiness, according to the study of well-being. By the way, I've been talking about well-being since earlier. Well-being is the psychological term for happiness, or psychology, or optimal psychological functioning, or psychological health. And there are a lot of studies that materialist individuals are less happy compared to non-materialists. And what do I mean? People who aim for non-material things such as fulfillment, such as helping, such as gratitude, they are happier compared to those who think that they will be happy with the latest gadgets, they will be happy with money, they will be happy with higher grades. Sometimes we think that if we have everything that we wish for in life, then we're going to be happy to live happily ever after. However, five years, ten years from that change in your life, your happiness will go back to its normal level. And that's a phenomenon known as hedonic adaptation. And if you're from the philosophy field, the philosophy, you do know what hedonism is. It's about pleasure. So, basically, what psychology is saying is that your level of happiness from pleasure will go back to normal. Or in layman's terms, when you get used to things, you're not as happy as you used to be.
Because of your materialistic desires. Hence, we should not be, we should not confine ourselves with materialistic desires. And we should not engage in a lot of social comparison because you only have to compare yourself with your old self. And the more social comparison you engage in, the more unhappy you become. And we're going to talk about that once again when we get to the digital self. And right now, I'm going to ask the question in advance. Does Facebook make us sad?
So now, let's proceed. Like what I've been telling to you since earlier, positive psychology shows that we are not statistically happier compared to previous generations because materialism does not make us happy. But rather, it makes us unsatisfied with what we have because with materialism, you continue to ask for more. You get used to your cell phone, then you want a better cell phone. And materialism is close to consumerism. And later on, we're going to talk more about consumerism.
And going back to one of my questions earlier, I'm going to rephrase it based by asking a new question. Let's put it this way. If you win the lottery, will you quit your work? And that is a question from industrial psychology. And guess what they found out in, in, in industrial psychology? They found out that even though people win the lottery, they would still say that they're going to continue working because they get some sort of fulfillment at work. In other words, we're not only motivated by money, but there are other things that we look for at work or in life. Say, for example, as a teacher, I'm not only motivated to wait for my monthly salary. I'm also motivated to continue becoming better and to see my students succeed. As a manager, you're not just motivated to go to work because of the salary, but you're also motivated to work because of the sense of fulfillment that you get by mentoring your colleagues, teaching the younger workers. Believe it or not, I would assume that most of you are not yet working, but you will understand what I'm saying when you are already working.
What if you earn a lot, but what you're doing is so demeaning? Say, for example, I will pay you to send hate messages on Facebook or to post negative comments on Facebook. I know that there are people who do that for a living. But the question is, until when are they going to do that? Eventually, they will look for some other sorts of happiness because they will discover that it is not only money that they are after.
So, the bottom line is this. Do not pursue the wrong source of happiness. And it's not, it's not something materialistic. But rather, look for something fulfilling. And what is that? Later, let's talk about Maslow's theory.
Now, coming from materialism, let's now move on to consumerism. So, consumers are often viewed as victims of greedy companies. So, we think that the companies are the ones that are making us purchase their products, and they are greedy. However, take note that we also have free will. So, learn not to patronize greedy companies who try to make a living out of your materialism. Try to be more critical of these companies. Try to reflect first before buying something that you're not going to need, you're not going to need, um, in the near future. So, are you going to, for example, are you going to buy the same product that is being released every year for the same price? However, here's a catch. They release, even though they release a product every year, they're not changing anything with that product, but they still charge the same. Hence, for example, you've been getting the same type of cell phone every year just to know that you're keeping up with others. But in reality, you're just fooling yourself, and you are helping these greedy companies in their, in their, in their materialistic desires.
So, think about it first. Do you really need to purchase that, or are you merely doing that just to please others, or just to impress others? Take note that we have free will. And with this free will, let us use it responsibly to support companies who are more responsible, who are not greedy companies, who do something for a cause, are companies that make it, where that makes products that are really worth buying. So, let us not support greedy companies.
You also need to think about it carefully. If you're trying to buy something, reflect first. Is this a need or a want? Because certainly, not everything that you want, that everything that you see online is considered a need. Sometimes it's just a want. It's not a priority. And I want you to become aware that this is how needs differs with wants. We have various needs according to Maslow. Physiological. When we say physiological, this is the need for food, the need for water, the need for air, etc. And once we have, we have been able to acquire these needs, we move on to safety needs. That's when you purchase your own house. Or if you just think about it, do I really need a new house? Or is that something that I can delay? Or there are other ways to fulfill your safety and security needs? Did you know that in the workplace, insurance is also considered as a safety, a way to satisfy your safety needs? Because in case that something happens, at least you are safe, or you are stable. Another way to fulfill your safety need is by having a stable work. So, a lot of people were not able to fulfill their need for safety and security if their work is not stable, or if they work on a contractual basis. That's why we want companies to sign their employees with a regular contract so that we can help more people to feel more stable in their source of income.
Then after that, we aim for love and belongingness needs. So, this is when you, when you have established good relationships with people, and you become friendly with your workmates, or with your, or with your classmates. And then eventually, once you have these needs, you eventually move on to move on to esteem needs. And how do we fulfill esteem needs? For me, it's a bit dangerous because sometimes esteem needs may come from inside, sometimes it comes from the outside. And sometimes our way of fulfilling our esteem needs may be unhealthy. And when we say esteem needs, this can be, say, for example, award certificates, learning, going to graduate school, attending a certain training, or being the top student. Sometimes it can also be considered an esteem need for you to have the latest gadgets. However, think about it. Is your way of fulfilling your needs healthy or unhealthy?
Then eventually, you would learn how to self-actualize. When we say self-actualization, in layman's term, this is becoming what you really want to be, or what you're meant to be. Say, for example, becoming your, um, dream, um, becoming your dream self, or your ideal self. Like, if your ideal self is to become the best, to become the best professional that you can be, then you should be, then you are now self-actualizing. A person is self-actualized if he or she has a full use, or he or she can maximize his or her talents or potentials. And if you're going to read the theory of, of Abraham Maslow, his criteria in saying that you are actualized or not materialistic. But rather, for him, a person is self-actualizing in different manners, and most of them are spiritual, or they are a quest for fulfillment. Say, for example, a person who is actualizing is someone who helps others, someone who doesn't, um, doesn't step on others, or someone who doesn't demean others, someone who doesn't take advantage of others, someone who appreciates things, someone who appreciates life.
So, I discussed this in our lecture for you to know that there are various ways to fulfill your needs and wants. And there are certain needs or wants that you can delay because you want to prioritize something that is more important. That's why, that's why there are people who can delay, delay getting the latest gadget if they don't have enough money to survive for the month. That's why there are people who can delay going to graduate school if their family needs them for their safety needs. And that's how we apply Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Now, this time, with by being aware that we can be materialistic and we can have consumerism as a lifestyle, I would like to inform you of the different strategies that people may use to take advantage of your lifestyle. And you should be aware so that you won't be exploited, or you won't be impulsive in your decisions. The first thing that I want to share with you is the foot-in-the-door phenomenon, which is used by a lot of companies. Say, for example, you will just be surprised that you bought the latest set of, um, you bought a latest set of books from a certain publisher, and then you realize that there's no need for such. Or say, for example, you bought the, you bought extras for a laptop, say for, for example, you bought some new speakers, or you bought some cables that you don't really need. That's because of the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
So, what's the foot-in-the-door phenomenon? If someone does this to you, at first, they make you agree with small requests. Say, for example, imagine this situation. You're walking in the mall, then someone approaches you and tells you that they're selling something for 100 pesos. And because of that, you were amazed that they sell something for a low price, so you enter their store to inquire for more. Then eventually, you will just realize that on the bill that they're giving you, they've offered you a lot, and they made you say yes to a lot of things. And then your final bill is around 3,000. Imagine 3,000 is has a lot of difference compared to the initial request, which is 100 pesos. So, there are people who are trained to do this. They can make you agree on something, even though they can make you purchase something that you don't even need, because at first, they made you agree on a small request. Then we have the tendency on on agreeing even on other requests, and we don't notice that these requests are getting bigger or heavier. So, at first, I will just sell you one gadget, but I will tell you that you cannot really use this gadget without purchasing this. If you buy this, I can include this in the package, and I can sell this for you to you for only 200. Or if you want, you can purchase this other package, and then if you purchase this, it has a lot of freebies, and you can get this, get this for just 500, and you will save 300 for doing so. So, you keep on saying yes, and saying yes, and saying yes, until eventually, you will realize that you have said yes to a lot of things, and you don't know how you got to that scenario. How did they end up here? How did they end up buying a TV that they don't even need? They started with a promotion for some new speakers.
So, that's the foot-in-the-door phenomenon. And this is not only used in marketing, but this is also used in, say, for example, asking for favors. Sometimes they can also be used in tricking people. Here in the Philippines, we have what we call the budol gang, wherein they will ask you to give them money, and then eventually you will realize that you're losing a lot of money. There are people who would say that they've been scammed, and they don't know that they've been scammed because they would say that they were, quote and unquote, hypnotized. However, from the viewpoint of psychology, we don't believe that hypnotism works in that way. Hypnotism cannot make you do things against your will. You can only be hypnotized. We can only make you do things if, at first, you agree on, we agreed on something. So, that's a topic for another day. So, what I'm saying is that you're not being hypnotized by these scammers, but rather, they are just using their foot-in-the-door phenomenon. They make you agree on something, and then they will request for one more time, then you're going to agree again, and then you're just going to ask the question, how did they end up here?
So, your assignment is, think of a personal experience wherein you experienced the foot-in-the-door phenomenon, or you can just search on the internet of some of the biggest examples of scams that is fueled by the foot-in-the-door phenomenon.
Other than that, we also have what we call the door-in-the-face phenomenon. This is the opposite of the foot-in-the-door. In the door-in-the-face phenomenon, you make an extravagant request that is so absurd, and then because you know that you will be rejected, you are now proposing another request that is reasonable. Look at this example. Person A told you, "Can I borrow a hundred dollars?" And then you say that, "No, I don't have that much." But then he would say, "Okay, but can I make, can I borrow ten dollars?" And then you let him borrow that amount. But let me ask you, if he didn't ask you for one hundred dollars, are you even going to let him borrow ten dollars? So, sometimes this is another strategy that people use. They make crazy requests that we're going to reject so that our reasonable requests can be accepted, their reasonable request can be gratified. They make us feel guilty for saying no. So, they make a reasonable request, and we're going to say yes to such. Say, for example, you're looking for, um, you're looking for something in the mall, and the price is 1,000. And you learn that in this package, they have a lot of inclusions that you're going to save a lot. And then you're going to say that, "No, I don't have 1,000 right now. I only have 200." So, is it okay if I just buy this one instead of buying the entire package?" And then you end up with a new object or a new, um, product. But come to think of it, are you even going to, did you even plan on purchasing that product, or were you just guilty that's why you bought it?
So, the message from this discussion is, before saying yes to something, be aware of the different strategies that they're using because there are a lot of things that affect consumer behavior, such as sales, such as, um, promos. That are not really. Think of before you purchase something. Think about it. Do I really need this, or am I just guilty, or am I just persuaded that's why I'm doing this?
Knowing all of these things, I want to close the discussion with these messages. So, the first one is that knowing that you have free will, and you are not, and you are not being forced in purchasing things, you just feel guilty that's why you purchase those things. I want you to exercise more intellectual independence. And be aware that consumerism controls your life. And as much as possible, if you think that something is not necessary, something is not even needed, ignore advertising because advertisements have, have feeds on consumerism. That's why, and materialism as well. That's why we are being succumbed into the different strategies, and we want to purchase things that we don't even need. And consume less and live more. Invest more on experiences than on material things because, like what I've been telling to you since earlier, materialists are less happy. And try to look for other types of happiness. And you, that's the type of happiness that you get when you help people, when you pursue your passion, when you, when you, um, try, when you do your hobbies, for example, studying, reading. And that's not the type of happiness that money can give us all the time. And this is not to say that money is something bad or evil. But rather, know, um, or know how to wisely spend your money because there are things that are more important than others.
So, that's it for this discussion, and thank you for listening.