ThirstyFish

McDonald's sales are declining in some parts of the world. It's still beyond me why anyone would eat at a Mickey Dees in place like Turkey. Here in the U.S. many fast-food restaurants are set up in poorer neighborhoods where there are no healthy alternatives. In places like Turkey, fast-food alternatives are tastier, healthier, cheaper and readily available.

That brings up an interesting question. Can desire be manufactured? For psychologists, desire is distinct from, but related to, emotion; Desire is rooted in bodily structures, functions and needs, whereas emotions are related to mental states. It's no secret that marketers use language and imagery to stimulate and funnel our desires. Maybe they do not outright manufacture desires, but they certainly manipulate them. Irrespective, how can we distinguish our real desires from those that have been manufactured for us? Can we distinguish at all? Is it really you who actually wants those Belgian* waffles?

*Not an innuendo. I actually argued this same point with a friend while having Belgian waffles...