ABSTRACT
Wanting something can be a great motivator to works towards it, including by making the necessary personal changes or striving to overcome external barriers. However, wanting something also carries with it the risk of rejection, disappointment, and resentment, especially if we are depending on someone else to be part of the solution. This then raises the question of whether we are better off pursuing what we don’t have or finding a way to be happy with what we already have. Philosophers and advertisers may have different answers, although it probably matters whether we’re talking about personal freedom or static-free sweaters.
