that kind of luxe just ain't for us; we crave a different kind of buzz

“There’s the old anecdote we were all taught in Psych 101,” Martin said, “which is that physical environment matters. I think a separate device matters here: sometimes you’re reading, and you’re in a slow section, and you have that random thought, like, what was that thing I wanted to buy on Amazon? And you’re there without thinking about it.” A de... See more

"Likewise, imagine being part of the MCU fan community in a world where fans have a financial stake in the franchise. You don’t just like the films and Disney plus shows. Liking them is part of your livelihood. And this isn’t a magic money fountain. If your tokens can increase in value, they can also decrease in value." (Dave Karpf, Read Write Own,... See more

"Paying rapt attention, whether to a trout stream or a novel, a do-it-yourself project or a prayer, increases your capacity for concentration, expands your inner boundaries, and lifts your spirits, but more important, it simply makes you feel that life is worth living." (Winifred Gallagher, Rapt)

"The key to thriving in our high-tech world, they’ve learned, is to spend much less time using technology." (Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism)

"The good things in life cost what they cost. The unnecessary things are not worth it at any price. The key is being aware of the difference." (Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman, The Daily Stoic)

According to Fiske and Silverstein the three kinds of “new luxury” share certain common traits, which set them apart from old luxury. Whereas old luxury goods were based on status, class and exclusivity, a new luxury philosophy inspires consumers to forge stronger emotional ties to the products and brands. Companies engage consumers and reap the be... See more

Their analysis depicts three distinct types of new luxury goods: accessible superpremium, old luxury brand extensions and mass prestige or mass-tige. Accessible superpremium designates products that are considered at or near the top of their categories in terms of quality, and are sold at a considerable premium. Despite the comparatively high price... See more

According to Frank, the desire for many to indulge in luxury “possessions” is motivated less by the gratification they may bring than by what others are buying or want to buy. We try to achieve happiness by improving our relative social status. For example, if your neighbor didn’t buy his new Mercedes Benz, you wouldn’t probably feel the need for t... See more