If you take cars as an example the need to move around comfortably is available quite cheaply.
What we have got though is an onslaught of marketing encouraging us to thing of a vehicle as part of our identity and status. New tail fins making us think our current model is obsolete. Advertising implying that we aren't a good parent if we don't have a new German car. Product placement telling us suave British spies all drive Aston Martins.
The car market is the furthest thing from utility.
Oh certainly, there's plenty of useless differentiators between brands, but it takes little convincing to want a car as a concept. People who don't want cars generally do so because of environmental concerns, not because they don't see a value in comfortably and quickly moving around over long distances, protected from the elements and with the ability to also transport other people or lots of goods.
What we have got though is an onslaught of marketing encouraging us to thing of a vehicle as part of our identity and status. New tail fins making us think our current model is obsolete. Advertising implying that we aren't a good parent if we don't have a new German car. Product placement telling us suave British spies all drive Aston Martins.
The car market is the furthest thing from utility.