7 Deadly Sins associated with your everyday Products
You are chilling on your sofa on a Saturday afternoon, scrolling through endless Instagram reels and suddenly feel hungry. You wanted the delicious new Pizza that the nearby Dominos have to offer, and instead of crossing the road, you opened up the best food delivery app to get it delivered to you in 30 minutes.
You suddenly received a notification from that financial app stating the price of your watchlisted stock has gone down and asking you to invest now.
Sounds familiar? This happens to most of us, and this isn’t an attack or a critical take to pull down any product out there in the industry, they are solving problems for the masses, but this article is just a psychological take on the Products we use every day and the psychological human traits these products work with.
What are these 7 deadly sins?
The concept of Seven deadly sins originated from Christian Theology. Listed below are the ones that are taught and discussed to make people understand moralities, humility, kindness, etc -
- Gluttony
- Lust
- Greed
- Sloth
- Wrath
- Envy
- Pride
Here, we are going to discuss these and run a parallel with the Products that we use daily, do they teach us something?
“Excess of anything can be harmful.”
Gluttony
Definition: In the literal sense, it is the overindulgence or excessive consumption of food and drink. However philosophically, it refers to the pursuit of excessive pleasure or indulgence in any form, leading to wastefulness. [ChatGPT]
So what products come to your mind when you hear Gluttony now?
All those Cheeky notifications of your favourite Food Delivery applications?
“Try the Biscuit with the High Tea, get it delivered in 10 minutes!”
“Exchange your old iPhone with the new one at 10% additional discount. Get it now before the time runs out!”
Many more examples, think about clicking on the lure, sometimes they are helpful, but be wary if you overindulge than required, it might be a thin line for many.
Lust
Definition: Excessive or disordered desire for sexual pleasure. Philosophically speaking, it is the prioritisation of physical gratification over moral, or relational values, often leading to actions that might harm oneself or others. [ChatGPT]
So what products ring a bell?
“Someone just super liked you, upgrade to Premium to know who is your date this weekend!”
Overindulgence of such applications leads to many mental or maybe physical traumas. Although they have made life much simpler, finding a partner was never so easy, but proceed with caution, and be your best judge.
Greed
Definition: An excessive and selfish desire for material wealth, power or possessions. Philosophically speaking, it is a relentless pursuit of personal gain, sometimes unknowingly at the expense of others.
This is going to be super easy, which products or those cheeky notifications depict this sin?
“You are missing out on potential investments, get a free session from our Wealth Advisor!”
“Apple stock just fell by $3, Buy now!”
Plan for your future, but don’t be greedy about it, there’s much more to life than money! And as Mastercard once said -
“There are some things that money can’t buy, …”
Sloth
Definition: Sloth is often defined as a spiritual or physical laziness, characterized by a lack of effort in pursuing good, moral, or spiritual duties. It involves apathy, indifference, and neglect of one’s responsibilities, whether they are related to work, personal growth, or care for others. [ChatGPT]
It’s the Procrastination and just being lazy that leads to us being anxiety-ridden later on. What products bring that Sloth out of you?
All those binge-watching? Can I be any more subtle? Those extremely over-the-top notifications!
“It’s Friday again, weekend marathon with the Big-Bang Gang? Come on, Sheldon won’t be annoying this time!”
Don’t procrastinate, get things done, can’t be simpler than this. Easier said than done, but give it a try.
Wrath
Definition: It is an uncontrolled feeling of rage, hatred, or resentment. It often manifests as a desire for vengeance or harm against others, and it can lead to destructive actions, violence, or cruel behaviour. [ChatGPT]
So, what Products bring out the blazing guns in you?
“Smith just replied to your post, reply now to keep the conversation going!”
And the very famous Rage Rooms!
It’s just about controlling your emotions at times when things go out of control. There are few things or spoken words that can’t be undone. It’s best to keep calm in such moments.
Envy
Definition: It is the deep resentment or jealousy toward someone else’s success, possessions, or qualities, accompanied by a desire to have what they possess or for them to lose it. Unlike admiration, which can inspire self-improvement, envy leads to bitterness and discontentment. [ChatGPT]
So what do you think which products make you feel jealous of others and then you loath in your pitiful state? Remember these cheesy notifications?
Kaya just uploaded 13 pics with the title “Best WeekEnd Getaway with him, life’s beautiful”, checkout now!
Many times people depict their best on such platforms which is just a part of their overall life, and we feel envious of them as if that’s how “cool and hip” their life is.
It leads to anxiety and contemplation of your miseries and hence amplification of the deep insecurities.
For the same reason, I have left such platforms, and I have found my peace.
Pride
Definition: It is the excessive belief in one’s abilities, importance, or worth, often to the point of disregarding others. It manifests as arrogance, self-centeredness, and a refusal to acknowledge one’s limitations or dependence on others.
It boosts our ego and is considered the most dangerous of the deadly sins since it places the self above everything else, leading to a lack of humility and an inflated sense of superiority. (Sense of entitlement) [ChatGPT]
Which product makes one feel the following -
- Boost their ego.
- Going gaga over their achievements.
- Provides a superiority complex.
- Showcases their professional accomplishments as a batch of honour.
Many might come to your mind, but remember this notification?
“40 people congratulated you on your new Job, kudos and here’s some confetti!”
An inflated ego, sense of entitlement, and superiority complex will take you on the path of loneliness even if you are successful. There’s a thin line between being Proud of your achievements and being cocky about it.
Conclusion
Not all products are bad, all of them are made to make our lives better, but when we over-indulge and excessively use them is when we cross the boundary and that’s when such products start becoming counter-productive.
However, there are some products/brands that rightly understand the psychology of Human Beings, and exploit them to get the most Profits out of you. Be wary of such exploitation before it's too late.
PS: These are my personal views, although I build many of such products explained above, I try to build them so that they don’t cross that boundary and do my part of the moral obligation : )
