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”
When someone has done nothing wrong and yet their partner quietly ends the relationship, it’s common for people to question themselves, asking, “What did I do wrong?” However, this quiet disconnection often stems from various factors, not just a lack of goodwill or personal fault. A person distressed by this separation may still harbor deeper emotional wounds. The quiet end of a relationship is not a reflection of anyone’s wrongdoing but is tied to the unique circumstances each individual faces. In such cases, it’s prudent to simply view each other as “unsuited.” Avoid feeling unjustly victimized; instead, let’s remind ourselves, “I’m still a good person.” - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”