Maybe a good explanation for why this world is such a mess is because the general public are so gullible and naive? In just the same manner as a person these days will buy a pair of Nike socks over a pair of "no-name" socks, people are throwing around the term "retail therapy" as though it actually does something for them.

The simple fact is, "retail therapy" was a term created by marketers to convince gullible and materialistic consumers to buy products that they do not need.

The late eighteenth century saw a shift from hand-made products to mass-produced products; the beginning of industrialisation. This meant that products could be produced, and subsequently sold, at a much cheaper cost. It also meant that companies had a lot more stock than what was actually needed by consumers.

So how did companies convince consumers to buy what they did not need? They convinced consumers that excessive purchasing would "make them feel better" by creating the ridiculous notion of "retail therapy".

Hearing people today boast about the "need" for retail therapy makes me shudder. There is nothing therapeutic about wasting hundreds of dollars on useless items just for the sake of it.

Once upon a time we would buy a pair of socks to keep our feet warm, or buy a car to get us from one location to another - these days it is all about buying the product that best enhances your social status amongst peers.

Adelaide Now published an article called "Is retail therapy reality or rubbish?" The short answer: Yes, it is rubbish. However, Adelaide Now claim that "women have long convinced themselves that a dose of retail therapy can leave you feeling like a million dollars". My question is, have women been convincing themselves? Or have they just been swallowing the garb fed to them by the media, marketers and culture, hook, line and sinker?

The Adelaide Now article states that "new research suggests shopping may not be as enjoyable for many as first thought". Oh, what a surprise! That is because it was never actually therapeutic in the first place, it was simply a ploy by the big guys to fool the small guys into feathering the big guys' nests!

And if fooling the consumers into spending all their hard-earned cash on needless crap was not bad enough, the clever marketers then introduced the concept of branding!

What did branding do? Well, now in addition to buying more than what you actually need, you are now being convinced that a product bearing a particular logo fulfills the requirements of that product more than any other product of the same nature. Marketers are now not just selling you a product that you most likely do not need, but they are also convincing you to spend extra to purchase the item bearing a particular logo. They convince you that by purchasing a particular brand you are purchasing the lifestyle that entombs that particular logo..

An example of this is what type of car you buy. A BMW does the exact same job as a less expensive car, however carries a much higher level of prestige with it. A pair of no-name socks will keep your feet just as warm as a pair of Nike socks, however the Nike socks symbolise athleticism and an active lifestyle.

The desire for an excessive amount of branded products is superficial. There is no real "need" for it other than what has been instilled in our minds by clever marketers. By succumbing to their hypnotic manipulations you are being beaten by a stronger mind. Do not fool yourself any longer. Shopping does not make you feel better, and if you still believe it does, then you are perpetuating the problem.

Instead of putting more money in the pockets of the guys at the top, how about next time you are in need of some form of "therapy", go camping instead! You will probably find it to be much more therapeutic, and I am sure your wallet will thank you afterwards!