YOU DON'T DECIDE YOUR DECISIONS

Everyone wants independence, the ability to make their own decisions regardless of what others say. People strive for this power, working long hours to achieve financial "security" and sacrificing their time and strength in exchange for more prominence. Everybody would rather be at the top of the corporate ladder than the mail room because they want more freedom to do what ever they want.

But how free are we really? Many people would say that no one can tell them what to do or tell them what to want or wear or feel. And that is true to an extent, if person A commanded person B with completely unfounded authority to do something that was against person B's will, person B would not comply. Person B would most likely feel resentment and resist person A's agenda. We do this because we have a sense of identity, want to be our own unique person. But as it turns out, we don't always pick what we want.

Take for example your personal style. What made you like argyle socks and thick rimmed glasses? Or what made you choose a nissan altima over a ford fusion? Are you a coke drinker or pepsi drinker?

Chances are you learned what you 'should' be doing by social media. Most people refuse to acknowledge that advertising works on them because they don't feel immediately compelled to go out and buy the product or service that's being advertised. But it works. Incredibly well. Take for example the superbowl. Companies pay incredible sums of money for one thirty second slot (over $3,000,000 in 2009). If these marketing campaigns didn't cause YOU to go out and buy things, they wouldn't exist. 

Companies use multiple techniques depending on who's watching. For men we have the fast cars dodging explosions with scantily clad women throwing their bodies around. Because advertisers know the life MOST men want to lead, however fantasized it may be. Every guy wants the gorgeous woman on his side while he's stepping on to the beach with his abs showing through his shirt in a world where it is always picturesque and sunny. And brands that manufacture things like expensive cologne and fancy watches try to make you believe that if you buy THEIR product with THEIR name plastered to it, your life will be just as glamourous as the picture perfect model that has been digitally modified that you are looking at. 

According to Harvard business professor Gerald Zaltman 95% of our decision making regarding a purchase is made in the subconscious part of our brain and that it is very likely that we know what product we are going to buy before we even compare it with it's competitors. 

SO! Moral of this blog? When you are about to purchase something, ask yourself 'why?' because it might be an advertisement subconsciously logged away in your brain. That's right, they're in your head...

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