By Lois E. Wilson
“Hi, Bill! I haven’t seen you for awhile. You look a little tired. Are you OK?”
“I could be better, Tom. I feel so let down.”
“Why? What happened?”
“Well, I kept hearing this guy on TV. He had many big, futuristic, and progressive ideas. They sounded good—I guess I wanted to see what he could do for my family and the company I work for—you know growth ideas. I went to one of his focus groups and liked what I saw.
“For example, he promised to lower or eliminate the college loans my sons still have. He even projected that before long my grandchildren could have a tuition-free college education.”
“I see, Bill. Didn’t you get suspicious?”
“I should have. My wife warned me. He was older than I am. I thought he probably had been around the system more and therefore knew what he was talking about.
“I was certainly wrong. Because of his actions, my company had to fire most of its employees. It looks as if I will soon lose my job. I just don’t know what to do.”
“Well, you know, Bill, when you go and look at the new car models, how convincing the sales person can be. There’s never been a model like the one they are promoting. It has the newest features, comes with all your desires, and is the most fuel-efficient car on the market.
“When you look at that shiny vehicle, it’s so difficult to calm our emotions. We try to resist the pressure—but we succumb and buy the car. In a few days we may have what is called buyer’s remorse. Rousseau observed, “Remorse sleeps through prosperity but awakes to bitter consciousness during adversity.”
“You’re right, Tom, I bought into his whole story, but it wasn’t buyer’s remorse. In this case, more accurately I suffer from ‘voter’s remorse.’ I hope it isn’t too late for me to recover.”