People Tend to Believe What They're Told

When I was a kid my brothers believed that I had magical powers and I could make m n m's appear in empty m'n'm wrappers. I used to save about 6 candies in my wrapper. I'd crumple it up and make it seem like I'd eaten them all and then I'd ask if they wanted me to magically make more. Of course they loved the trick and they'd always eagerly await the spectacular show. I'd slowly uncrinkle it while thinking really contemplatively and wha-la m n m's would "magically" fall out of an "empty" m n m wrapper.

What I find fascinating is that total strangers, actually people we never even see tell us that we NEED a new car, a bigger, better, faster nicer vehicle and we tend to believe them. We're told by clothing companies, and magazines and by our friends (usually it's an unspoken message in this last case) that we NEED nicer, cooler, more fashionable clothes and shoes and all the accessories. The television and big bill boards are constantly telling us that we NEED a better cell phone. I think it's crazy that we believe them. I don't think we need any of that stuff. These things may improve our self esteems (but we do NOT need them for that); they might (and that's a tiny might) add a bit more convenience to our busy lives; these things will almost definitely give that exciting rush of the NEW purchase... but that wears off.

The truth is I can't make m n m's appear in empty wrappers. My brothers occasionally would find a wrapper or bring me their empty one and I would have to put on a good show inspecting it and deciding that it was defective before they'd let me off the hook but they never figured it out. They never saw through it.

The truth is that those people who are telling me that I NEED all kinds of "new" stuff, they can be pretty dog gone convincing but they're wrong. It's all just a show.