I came across Drew’s blog about how marketers often make the mistake of assuming that consumers “care about them, what they sell and how it works”. When I read the line “what’s in it for me”, I immediately made a mental connection with Gateman’s Economics 101 class I took in Year 1. When we arrived at the chapter on supply and demand, we were introduced with one of Adam Smith‘s famous quotes. The quote goes something like this: “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest […] self interest, not benevolence is the basis of social order.” Although it would be nice for people to do things purely out of the kindness in their heart, the reality is that people will always asks the question “what’s in it for me?” in their minds. When individuals pursue their own self interests, society as a whole may benefit and coordinate toward a common goal. The reason why people donate to charity is because they want to feel good about themselves. The warm, fuzzy feeling that people get when they help someone across the street or when they give up their seat on the bus for an elderly person is the feeling of satisfying one’s self interest. No matter how they put it, in the end they are still doing something that they want, something they desire, which means that they are looking out for their own best interests. I realize that this notion may feel a bit cynical but it is because this notion holds true that we see peace and harmony in society. Another concept discussed in Gateman’s class which is related to Adam Smith’s quote is the principle of Pareto Optimality. The principle states that you cannot make someone better off, without making someone else worse off. Since all resources are scarce, the consumption of one resource results in its inability to be consumed elsewhere.