Do I really need a new TV?

My neighbors just got a new TV and it's bigger than mine. I think I should get one at least as big as theirs, if not bigger. Although I don't need a bigger, better TV, I want one because it will give me a sense of status and satisfaction, even if just for a short time. In a matter of months, when there's a new line of TVs, I'm going to want to upgrade again. What do I do? The market has been expanding and evolving in order to accommodate for the needs of consumers. New products are constantly being introduced, some being completely new items the world has never seen, others being a slight upgrade that may or may not affect the performance. While not all products are essential to a person's well-being or survival, a good number of them appeal to a person's senses. Things that a consumer needs are sometimes confused with things that will bring convenience to the consumer. Advancements in technology and marketing schemes have blurred the line between a consumer's wants and needs.
A few months ago, I attended my friend's sister's wedding. When choosing a gift, my friends and I looked at their online Wedding Gift Registry and found a plate warming tray. Despite the fact that we decided to buy this as a gift, I still question the usefulness of the item. I thought while the tray is pretty neat, is it really needed? It can keep food on the tray warm, but will the newlyweds (who are only 24 by the way) cook very frequently and enjoy it to the fullest? Do they really need such a tray if they just finish your food before it gets cold? Will they have the time to sit down and enjoy every meal with the company of each other and the tray when both of them are working full time jobs?

On Monday 6/30, we discussed bottled waters in class. Many of us found it interesting how water is described and marketed, the different brands/types of water, and the packaging. Having worked at The Aggie Student Store, I witnessed the phenomenon of Smart Water. It cost $1.60 for a small, $2.25 for a large (the left and right bottles in the picture) compared to our less expensive waters that cost $1.15 for a small and $1.55 for a large. Smart Water alone was the single most purchased item in the store. Every week, our Coke Delivery guy would come in and restock our supply of Coke Products, Vitamin Water, and Smart Water. Smart Water needed restocking the most. He even told us one day he had to bring in seven cases of Smart Water to The Junction alone. I still cannot comprehend the whole concept of Vitamin Water. If I want water, I can purchase the cheaper Crystal Geyser. If I want Electrolytes, I can purchase Gatorade. While looking for more information on bottled water, I stumbled upon a CBS news article reporting bottled water was being sold at $55 a bottle. One of these products included Bling, a $40 bottle of water that costs more than Vodka.
These two items I described are things I would label 'luxury items'. These items are not necessary as there are cheaper alternatives. However, because they appeal to a person's senses, consumers still decide to spend extra money on them. The market has indeed been evolving to accommodate for a person's wants and needs. Before technology has been so advanced, people have survived just fine with their 'old fashioned' methods. However, technology keeps making things easier and attractive to people that they begin to think they must spend extra money on things really not quite essential to survival. The irony of all this is, while a person needs water to survive, they are willing to spend $55 a day for it because they want to.