Being Manipulated

I feel I’m being hounded and manipulated these days. I ordered five new tops yesterday and within an hour, I had multiple emails from four places offering discounts if I order more within the next five days.

And what is it about memberships? I feel not only being manipulated but herded. Grocery stores and gas stations are now among businesses promoting membership to receive rewards and discounts. Join this. Join that. Become a member. Sign up for… Hey, I have other things I’d rather do than “join” all kinds of retail memberships.

And if these places are offering all these benefits, do they raise their prices to everyone else. Are they making that much profit they can offer discounts to certain “valued members?” Does this make their customer service better? (Customer service, another term still used but has fallen by the wayside.)

It almost makes me feel by becoming a member to some of these things, my choices of where to go and where to shop become limited -- if I want to keep getting these wonderful (yeah, right) rewards. Sure, maybe I could save money here and there, but I don’t like this manipulation. I don’t want to have to shop at a particular place because I’m a “member.” I don’t like being forced to participate. (At least it feels that way to me.) And I don’t need to be a member of stores or businesses. I shop places I like. Why do I need to become a member? To prove my loyalty (really?) to a business?

Oh, I know the psychology behind it, and I refuse to play the game. I won’t buy (pun intended) into it. Marketing ploys annoy me. I feel they sucker people in. I see through the pretty words and promises. People believe what they’re told. They follow that “herd ‘em in” mentality. I refuse. While I still can, I want to think for myself (that doesn’t mean I won’t listen to suggestions when I’m indecisive.)

But this is just me. I know there are many out there who jump on the bandwagons, and that’s fine for them. Me, I walk my own paths. I have always avoided what the masses are doing. This is another aspect of how I’m choosing to live wholeheartedly.