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View Full Version : Freeway Syndrome and Other Rules of Thumb



heydude
6-6-12, 3:33am
Here are some rules of thumb I thought of, that are kinda cool to think about.

The Freeway Syndrome:
I once read in a traffic book that adding lanes to freeways actually increases traffic congestion. If you can hop on a freeway to get to a job that is actually far away, you'll be more likely to use the freeway. If there was no fast freeway to get you there, you wouldn't go there. People use it because it is there. I thought of this when I was trying to find the time a show started by going to tvguide.com It took like 20 minutes to find the info out! All the new technology with the internet has allowed that site to add a million bells and whistles. A million ads were on there, videos were trying to load, this and that was going on. If everyone didn't have such fast internet connections, tv guide would crash with all that stuff! In other words, would your life be more simple if you COULDN'T DO CERTAIN THINGS? Are some things, which are supposed to make your life easier? actually hurting it. Is a fast freeway really faster for you? Is a higher internet connection really helping you?

The I'll pay more because I'll pay more Syndrome:
I once read that the big leather plush simple office chairs that big bosses use actually cost less to make than the complex ergonomic smaller chairs. But, the big leather plush chairs carrying a higher price tag. Why? Because bosses want their chairs to be more expensive than their secretary chairs. The chair company's charge more for the cheaper chairs because bosses want to spend more on their chair than their "subordinates" chairs. So....what are you spending more money on simply because you want to spend more money on?

What other rules of thumb do you know?

herbgeek
6-6-12, 7:07am
In past marketing classes, perfume has always been brought up as a prime example. If a perfume is priced too cheaply, it is perceived as an inferior product. So the prestige perfumes price their product well above costs with a reasonable return, just because consumers won't buy it otherwise.

Personally, I make my own perfume for those few occasions I do wear it. I object to being such a sucker like that.

kitten
6-6-12, 3:33pm
herbgeek, this might be for another thread, but - could you give us your perfume recipe?

kitten
6-6-12, 3:50pm
I think I see what you're getting at - if you create more freeways, more people will use them (who wouldn't have done otherwise). I can see two clear analogies to this in my own life: when I make more money, I spend more! And when I have more junk, I end up spending more money to maintain it, store it and move it.

Hm, that's really depressing.

ApatheticNoMore
6-6-12, 4:30pm
So....what are you spending more money on simply because you want to spend more money on?

Food, if you accept the fact you have to pay more for quality (and there's some truth to that and quality is worth it), but pretty soon your paying more just to pay more. >8)

Oh and Amazon free shipping is always, scour the wishlist, throw in another $4 book, must get up to $25 to get FREE SHIPPING, did I mention the shipping will be free ... Is it also bad to admit you might buy a bunch of books before the end of the year just to avoid the taxes that are coming?

Yea, I guess that and clothes sales sometimes get me, not a clothes horse though.

ctg492
6-6-12, 7:13pm
Dollar Stores. I see one built fast and very fast the people flood the parking lot. I don't get it. Where did they buy their cheap purchases before?

Bronxboy
6-6-12, 7:42pm
The I'll pay more because I'll pay more Syndrome:
I once read that the big leather plush simple office chairs that big bosses use actually cost less to make than the complex ergonomic smaller chairs. But, the big leather plush chairs carrying a higher price tag. Why? Because bosses want their chairs to be more expensive than their secretary chairs. The chair company's charge more for the cheaper chairs because bosses want to spend more on their chair than their "subordinates" chairs. So....what are you spending more money on simply because you want to spend more money on?
This syndrome applies to virtually every aspect of life in metro Washington, DC.

I can't wait to retire and get out of here.

herbgeek
6-6-12, 9:05pm
Kitten, sent you private message about the perfume recipe.