Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.
Ten Thousand Dollar Trap
People who fall into traps usually have two motivations. One is the economic motivation, which is a rational motivation—the desire to minimize financial losses. The other is the non-economic motivation: the desire to regain face and punish the opponent. There are many such traps in life: For example, two deputy directors want to be promoted and compete by giving gifts. The gifts already given are sunk costs, which cannot be recovered unless you, as a deputy director, decide you don’t want to do it anymore. Another example is the game Zheng Tu (征途): this game changed the landscape of online gaming. In an era where everything required a point card, it was permanently free to operate. When you try it for free for a while, you are quickly drawn into the game world. However, you gradually realize that if you don’t pay, you aren’t really playing the game; you are being played by the game. Those “RMB players” (real-money players) who possess various luxurious equipment and high levels will crush you to the point of misery, making you feel your self-esteem has been completely trampled. So, you angrily shout, “Isn’t it just RMB? I have it too!” and immediately purchase the full set of luxurious equipment, instantly leveling up, thereby completely defeating the previous defeat and achieving a triumphant return. ...