Cost of Goods Sold!!

This is not an accounting session nor am I about to deliver a lecture on the better practices of creating a balance sheet. I just started off with that heading because of an event that happened minutes ago. We were watching a Honda advertisement for one of their cars and the domino effect created there was excellent and it was pure art. So in the aftermath we were immersed in absorbing the creation, when a colleague exclaimed that it was all a big waste of money.

I am not the devil’s advocate, but I could not help but point out that the perceptions of people could differ but as in every other case we must have some limits to adhere to, and at least in public. By doing so, many a times it could actually show up one’s ignorance and the degree of your being silly just increases in a geometric progression on the arrogance you disburse.

Money has a funny relationship with every other thing we do or possess in life and that’s not the area of my concern right now. The concern is more on the issue of people evaluating everything by the expenditure. The path tread thus becomes sticky and embarrassing.

I stay in New Delhi, and we all know about the neighbourly competition with reference to the “Conspicuous Consumption” goods. The evaluation by the cost is inherent and present in every possible conversation. The same person when abroad is running around and spending unaccounted money in transportation to find out a good deal and at the end of it is also extremely apologetic about the debited amount. He would plead to keep the amount paid confidential to people back home lest his ego gets a sharp puncture.

Then there are the people whom you converse with, cannot but help talking about the price of anything they possess or show or wear. So you visit a friend’s house and shower appreciation of the Persian Carpet and immediately you would become a recipient of some unnecessary information of the exorbitant price paid and at such a good deal. I have two problems here. The first one is that I was admiring the art and you diverted my mind. Secondly I fail to understand the balance between your “High Value” and “Good Deal”. As far as I am concerned, one tolerated the first comment but the double whammy now not only irritated me but in the process you degraded the value of the item too. God Bless You!!

These same people (you know many of them, don’t you?) can’t just resist interspersing their every bit of conversation with Dollars or Won or Rupees or what have you.

Oh, that’s a fantastic dress, it beautiful on you? What’s the price?!!! WHY CAN’T YOU JUST ADMIRE?

I bought this pair of trousers? How much for? 10000 Won? Oh, you should have gone to Onsu!! This is available there for 5000!!! CHEAP THRILL?

You know what? My friend gave me this scarf as a gift? Isn’t the design great? It’s only 5 Dollars. Isn’t it cheap? HUH?

I am sure you know more examples then I can remember or conjure up out here, but if I had to collect all these small crazy bits of dialogue, it would become a big fat book and that too one which you wouldn’t pay for. What would you say? Priceless!!! Sphere: Related Content