Member-only story
This Is Not the Real World
Those who say it is are selling something.
“Why buy when you can lease?”
The salesman smiles as he talks. He talks a lot. It’s the name of the game, to keep making noise so that your thoughts trip over his clutching words. He slides a pen out of his pocket and turns over the crumpled sheet of paper in his hand.
“Look,” he smiles. “It’s like this. You’re paying, what, $500 a month right now? If you trade your truck in, you can have this year’s model for $379. You’ll be paying less for a newer vehicle.”
“For seven more years.”
“You’re not going to keep the truck for seven years.” His smile is wider now, toothier, as he fingers the greasy edge of his hold card. “You take it for what, a couple of years? Then you bring it back and trade it for a new one.”
Don’t be deceived.
This is how it all works now. Cars, houses, cell phones; you’re not meant to own anything. The sales office learned long ago that it’s foolish to sell a person an item when you can rent it to them forever.
A lifetime of small monthly payments is a lot more valuable than one big chunk. It’s the morality of the mosquito. Don’t take too much, and you’ll be able to feed forever.
