This is nothing new and it is not unique to modern advertising or politics. Important philosophical and theological texts going back to ancient times are very

This is nothing new and it is not unique to modern advertising or politics. Important philosophical and theological texts going back to ancient times are very clear on how unfulfilling material desires ultimately are. To make it even worse, our own desires are terrible predictors of what will make us happy. Lessons from psychology abound. Winning the lottery often ruins peoples lives. Couples in arranged marriages report similar satisfaction to those with chosen partners. When presented with more choices, we are less happy with our final decision. The deeper you dig, the “worse” it gets. > To understand the limitation of things, desire them. - Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching