Do you ever wonder why you buy things you don't need? This episode explores the fascinating (and sometimes alarming) ways culture shapes our budgets. We’re talking to Dr. Marcus Collins, who is a scholar of the hidden messages of consumption, a marketing professor at University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, and the author of For The Culture. 

He takes us on a journey into the heart of consumerism, explaining how brands create religions, how the people we admire influence our spending, and how we can all become more conscious consumers. It's a hilarious, insightful, and maybe even a little uncomfortable look at the invisible cultural forces that are impacting our spending. 

Dr. Collins helps us understand:

• How the "consecration" of brands shapes our spending: We're not just buying products, we're investing in a sense of belonging, an identity, a belief system. Think of it as the "gospel of consumerism”
• The power of "our people": Dr. Collins breaks down the phenomenon of social proof and how the people we admire, the groups we identify with, and the trends we follow, all play a huge role in our spending.
• The illusion of financial freedom: Dr. Collins reveals how the "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality and our unconscious cultural programming can leave us feeling trapped, even when we have the right information.
• Navigating the cultural landscape: Dr. Collins offers tools and insights to help us become more conscious consumers, make more intentional spending decisions, and build a financial future that aligns with our own values.

You'll walk away from this episode with a deeper understanding of the unseen forces influencing your spending, equipped to see through the "noise" of cultural marketing and branding, and empowered to break free from the unconscious influence of cultural norms.

Links: 

• Get Dr. Marcus Collin’s book For the Culture 
• Visit his website and follow him on Instagram 

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