American Bedwetter

Discussion

No matter what we say, it’s really just another T-shirt, isn’t it?

And consider reality: if you’re like most people, you’ve already got a drawer full of more t-shirts than you can keep track of. At the bottom of the pile are a bunch of shirts you haven’t worn in ages, hidden by the more interesting stuff on top. Digging through is like an archaeological study of your past interests. You need another tee like a female-to-male transsexual needs electrolysis. Why buy yet another one?

When we have so many shirts they don’t fit in the drawer or closet, they become clutter. You have to jam your drawers or closets full; as you do the new items just supersede old ones. It takes time to decide which to dispose of, or reorganize to make space for items you might not wear anyway. The new items indirectly prevent the old ones being utilized to their fullest; their remaining utility goes to waste.

And along the way, there’s a whole chain of manufacturing making things that aren’t needed but will be bought. Oil provides energy to run the tractors or mines to get the raw ingredients, ship them to a refining plant, refine them into workable materials, ship them to a manufacturing plant, make them into an item, ship that to another manufacturer who customizes it, ship it to a wholesaler for distribution, ship it to a store for sale, and finally ship it to you (or you drive to buy it). Not utilizing things to their fullest is simply not ecological. [/soapbox]

“Don’t settle for…the same ones your parents wore in their day” plays on the rebellious nature of young adults, encouraging the belief that this shirt is somehow rebellious. Merchants will say anything to sell stuff, and they know their market—they will use your innate tendencies to their advantage.

There’s also a contradiction: “let your distinctive style shine…in the latest colors and cuts.” How is your style distinctive if you’re all about the latest fashion-approved apparel? This plays on our contradictory desires to both express individuality, yet be accepted as part of the groups to which we aspire. Both can be so very hard, it becomes tempting to believe that a shirt can make it easier—but in all probability, it’ll just make you poorer.

The lessons here:

• Too much of a good thing just costs money and creates clutter.
• Merchants will play on your innate human nature.
• You don’t need an item to create your identity.

Website tips

Did you notice the friendly welcome message up top? That’s there to make our web site seem a little less impersonal.

This Internet can be a very lonely place. Making our website more personable encourages you to think of merchants as nice people you enjoy doing business with. Some merchants have introduced on-line salespeople that you can chat with, further personalizing your experience.

In an increasingly mechanized world, the human touch is very enticing. Keep your wits about you:

• Website salespeople often know surprisingly little about the products they sell
• Salespeople are primarily there to encourage you to spend your money
• To a merchant, you’re just an e-mail address in a database, someone to be tracked and marketed to.

Don’t be fooled by their ulterior motives.

TrueCost®

Item price:	$ 19.95
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