The Lie Society Tells Us: Price vs. Worth

I think it's pretty clear that society tells us all a lot of lies. About the world, about others, and about ourselves. But I think one of the biggest lies we're told is that expensive things are better.

It's a common saying: "you get what you pay for." But I would argue that it's not always true. Yes, sometimes cheaper items are of a lower quality. That's just a simple business principle; to charge lower prices, you usually need to purchase cheaper, poorer quality materials. But sometimes, having lower quality materials doesn't make enough of a difference in the final product.

For example, I can't tell the difference in a book I paid full price for at Barnes & Noble and the one I paid a dollar for at Dollar Tree. Obviously, the stories are different, but when it comes down to it, it's just ink on a page. And if the Dollar Tree book is printed with lower quality ink on lower quality paper, well, it just doesn't make a difference in the end reading experience. Nor can I tell a difference in the book that I paid fifty cents for at a thrift store, other than it maybe showing a little age or wear. 

I was raised to look for bargains. I always buy things on sale, or with coupons, or at thrift stores, and if I can't find it, maybe I can make it myself. And I normally find really good-quality items for low prices. Sometimes even name brand items. I am not the kind of person who will pay more for an item just because it has a certain brand on it. 

However, because of the lie society tells us, many people will pay more for an item just because of its brand. And I think this makes the people who simply can't afford to have all name brand things feel like they are inferior somehow. They feel like because they don't have the biggest house, or the nicest car, or the newest iPhone, or that name brand backpack, that they aren't as good as the person who does. Society teaches us that "price" and "worth" are synonymous. 

Yet, for a society that treats price and worth as being the same, there sure is a big difference in "worthless" and "priceless," isn't there? 

Let's take a look at that for a moment. If we are to believe the lie society tells us, that price and worth are equal, then these two words should mean the same thing, right? But everyone knows that they would never call the Mona Lisa worthless, or an ordinary pebble they picked up outside priceless. 

The dictionary defines it this way:

priceless

adjective

1. having a value beyond all price; invaluable:

a priceless artwork.

worthless

adjective

1. without worth; of no use, importance, or value; good-for-nothing:

a worthless person 

Isn't that interesting? Society tells us that price and worth are the same, and in the same breath explains the difference in worthless and priceless. "Worthless" generally means it has so little value that it cannot equal money. And "priceless" means it has so much value that money cannot equal it. 

It's simple. Price does not equal worth. 

For an example, let's look at people. If you have to "buy" your friend, let's say with expensive gifts, then they're probably not going to be a very valuable friend to have. In fact, you might could say they're worthless as a friend, because they're not truly loyal to you. 

On the other hand, a true friend will be loyal, whether or not you give them fancy presents or whatever they ask for. They will stick beside you in good and bad. The friend with the high price tag could be considered worthless, while the friend that comes for free is priceless. 

Friends, family, love, hope, faith, peace, laughter, nature, music (and we're not talking iTunes here), language, and art are all examples of beautiful, priceless things that come at no cost at all. 

So if you ever feel worthless because you can't afford that fancy new item with the high price tag, just remember...

Price does not equal worth.