1.4.1
The Tulip Mania
In 17th-century Netherlands, tulip bulbs became objects of intense speculation
Prices rose dramatically as more people wanted to buy and sell them
But here's the part that matters:
People weren't only buying tulips because they loved tulips
Many were buying because other people were buying
The logic quietly changed:
“This is valuable”
became:
“Other people think this is valuable”
And eventually:
“Other people will pay even more”
That's how a crowd can turn an ordinary object into something that feels impossible to ignore
The lesson isn't that tulips were worthless
It's that price can influence our perception of value
When everyone around you is excited about something, it's worth asking:
“Would I still want this if nobody else wanted it?”
~ Think before you act.
The Tulip Mania
In 17th-century Netherlands, tulip bulbs became objects of intense speculation
Prices rose dramatically as more people wanted to buy and sell them
But here's the part that matters:
People weren't only buying tulips because they loved tulips
Many were buying because other people were buying
The logic quietly changed:
“This is valuable”
became:
“Other people think this is valuable”
And eventually:
“Other people will pay even more”
That's how a crowd can turn an ordinary object into something that feels impossible to ignore
The lesson isn't that tulips were worthless
It's that price can influence our perception of value
When everyone around you is excited about something, it's worth asking:
“Would I still want this if nobody else wanted it?”
~ Think before you act.
