ACLR: Do You Get What You Expect From What You Buy?
Welcome back to Applied Curiosity Lab Radio you adventurous humans!
How often do you get what you expect from what you buy? What has the biggest impact on whether you get what you expect from what you buy?
Should we value experiences more than we value stuff? Why? What influences your buying decisions?
Discuss, debate, and dissect with us!
The lens is – and always will be – curiosity. Each week, fun informal conversations center around one delectable Curiosity Bite designed to give your brain the time and ideas to think about thinking, to flex your curiosity muscle… and maybe even… revolutionize the way you think.
This week’s Curiosity Bite:
Did you get the best result from what you purchased last?
What was your last purchase? What did you expect from it? Why’d you buy it?
In this episode…Curious Questions asked and answered
What are the long term effects of your buying decisions?
Do you value things that cost more?
Where does the product end and the experience of owning it begin?
How do you value ownership versus access?
Ideally, should your purchases really “spark joy”?
References
Brain-wine study from National Institutes of Health
Corfu (Here’s where it is, Jennifer. Let’s go!)
Apple’s failed decision to include U2 on the iPhone 6
Inflatable motorized pool floater
Children Learn What They Live poem
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Special thanks to listener, Ezra for sharing Curiosity Bites research and ideas. Thanks for joining us this week. Until next time!
This question might have been about larger purchases, but I’ll share my little one (long answer…)…
I think the last thing I bought was a “fanny pack” from Union Rose:
https://unionrosepdx.com/collections/accesories/products/victoria-convertible-hip-pack?variant=28539061993556
I had given up intentionally searching for a bag that was water-resistant, stylish, and not outrageously expensive. I often find myself searching my bag stash for something small enough for just a few things, but big enough for those few things. I often work at events where I puzzle over what to do with phone and wallet.
Someone from Union Rose Instagrammed (there’s a *cooler* word for that, isn’t there?) a photo of the bag and I knew it was the one (it’s funny how once you stop searching for something, it often appears). I can wear it at my hip (hands free for events and scootering), it is water-resistant so I don’t need to worry about keeping it covered in the rain, it’s super cute (in my opinion), it is just the right size, and the price was reasonable. Added bonus: it’s locally made.
Long term effects: several needs covered in one purchase; no more time spent wondering how to keep my wallet and phone safe and secure.
Cost: At $85 some will say it “costs more” and some will say it’s cheap. In this case, I think it somewhat of a bargain.
Product & Experience of Owning It: Hard to separate the two here as the product is cute and could be considered a fashion statement; the experience of owning it is similar to long-term effects.
Ownership vs Access… As in access to the product and the ability to afford it? I have access to many things that I don’t need to (or choose to) own. I often give away things that I no longer use. The utility of this item makes me grateful that I had access to it. If I were to ask you about this, you would explain and give me brilliant examples and my answer would change. 🙂
Sparking Joy… Being the incredibly excitable person that I am, if I imagine what my life would look like if I only owned things that sparked joy, I’d probably be sitting in a comfy chair on the sidewalk with a bottle of bourbon, french fries, and some knitting, drawing supplies, or a good book (and whatever would fit in my fanny pack).
Coincidentally, I too recently purchased a “fanny pack” and i’m loving it. It may be my favorite recent purchase, and I have gotten some of what I expected from owning it. I was unaware how much carrying handbags on my shoulders was not sparking joy, and that new awareness was unexpected.
I’m curious about the half-life of joy sparks. Is it the same for most things?