- Top Features:
- War Room
- Glenn Greenwald
- Broadsheet
- Joan Walsh
- Camille Paglia
- Since You Asked
- Follow Salon:
Read other letters about this article
donh82: I just paid about $50 for a 2 year license for my virus software ('cause I got the extra special package). That's not every time I turn around, and certainly not HUNDREDS of dollars. Do you run a Mac without any protection?
I have NEVER made my computer so "gummed" up with whatever that I had to pay ANYTHING for ANYONE to come and fix it. Maybe I underestimate the power of users to screw things up. But seriously, people really do use PCs without having to fix them constantly. Really.
You live in a very confused world, don't you?
...
Oh, and Jake, fine points. I still say that built into any survey of "luxury"-feeling items is the perception that they are supposed to be better. I would be an idiot if I was saying that first class isn't a nicer way to fly--you don't think that I'm an idiot, do you? Perhaps I've been making my points too subtle, or maybe first class airlines aren't the way to make the point.
But wouldn't you say that a fancier packaged item with a higher price immediately has a higher perception of quality over something in a plainer package selling for less? Is it justified paying an extra $300 for niceness that you could have gotten for an extra $30? Would you feel more inclined to give a higher rating to the thing that you perceived as nicer because someone convinced you it was nicer? Did you ever stop to think that the people who actually review products favorably may already be have a bias towards them and that the people who feel rather mediocre about a product don't feel the need to give their opinions? Do you think that there is no bias in a publication that makes it money selling ads?
Because if you answered "no" to these questions, there are advertisers, market researchers, and psychologists to disagree with you.
I'm merely saying that airline passengers who fly first class and give a 5 star ratings have less of an impact on someone who flies coach and gives 5 stars. You already assumed that first class was good, so is your rating already padded? I would think so.
Besides, why would simply giving it higher marks make me think it has that much more value? The question remains: is the extra money actually worth what I'm getting? That's quite debatable among different folks. Obviously.
jason.
