I learned something instructive about human psychology today. I had to go to this timeshare seminar for 2 hours. I initially had some interest but then when another sales rep came in to seal the deal, something switched in my brain and I realized I didn't want it
It happened when my friend said, "she doesn't need it" and then the sales rep said "of course, it's not about needing it it's about wanting it." It was at this point I realized that the rep and I fundamentally didn't understand each other. For more on this first a little info:
This sales rep -- let's call her Jackie -- you could tell she was successful. She was the woman who sealed the deals. She had lots of plastic surgery (one of her eyes couldn't open) & for her the concept of "luxury" defined by a hotel chain brand really mattered in life.
And the underlying message of her selling point was that her definition of luxury should matter to *me.* Her tone was a bit condescending to me/my friends as if needing to enter this club she was part of was actually important in life.
But then she said it's a question of if I *want* it & something clicked because I realized that what I want and what she wanted existentially in life were two totally different things. I *want* to connect people through ideas, art, & the like. I *want* people to self-actualize.
I want these things because I find *meaning* in them. She thinks there's actually meaning in "luxury", the pursuit of materialist goods for materialism's sake. It was when I realized this that I found myself losing respect for her and the entire establishment.
Hence when she said "do you want this" she was asking "do you find meaning in this"? And it was by elevating a sales deal to an existential value that caused her to lose me completely. And by unwittingly condescending as if the other things we'd placed value on weren't meaningful
That entire experience embodies Vegas, what Vegas represents, and its lucrative yet ultimately fruitless and fickle aims and ends.
