We have all been there—the casual “tea-time” talk or the mid-afternoon office break where opinions fly as freely as the steam rising from the cups. These moments are often the most revealing windows into our collective psyche. Recently, I overheard a conversation that stayed with me for days, not because of what was said, but because of what it revealed about a strange, pervasive double standard in how we value the world around us.
One person in the group complimented another’s shirt, noting its vibrant color and sharp fit. When the reply came back, “It is from Zudio”—a brand widely known in India for its extreme affordability and trendy designs—the room erupted in lighthearted laughter. Someone quickly joked, “Now that Zudio is on every corner and the price is so low, everyone will be wearing the same thing. You will see ten people in that same shirt today!”
But then, the conversation took a sharp turn toward technology. When someone mentioned they had just picked up the latest iPhone, the reply from a peer was: “Well, since they are available on EMI (easy monthly installments), it seems like everyone has one now.”
This time, no one laughed. The room remained silent. There was no mockery for owning a “mass-market” expensive item, only a quiet acceptance of its presence.
Why Do We Judge the “Affordable”?
This interaction highlighted a fascinating, yet troubling, social habit. We live in a society where no one feels “lesser” for having the same expensive phone, the same luxury German car, or the same high-end laptop as the person sitting next to them. In fact, when wealthy people own the same things, we do not call it “common”; we call it “consistent quality” or “a standard of excellence.” We find comfort in the uniformity of luxury.
However, the moment a product or service becomes accessible to the common citizen—the moment it becomes truly “affordable”—the narrative shifts. Suddenly, it is criticized. It is treated as “less worthy” or “low-status” simply because the barrier to entry has been lowered. We have been conditioned to believe that for something to be valuable, it must be exclusive. If everyone can have it, we are taught to think it is not worth having.
The Psychology of Status and Scarcity
This behavior is rooted in what economists call “conspicuous consumption.” We often use our purchases as signals of our place in the social hierarchy. When a brand like Zudio makes fashion accessible to the masses, it “disrupts” the signal. People who rely on clothes to prove their status feel threatened when a low-cost item looks just as good as a high-cost one.
The laughter I heard at tea-time was not really about the shirt; it was a defense mechanism. It was an attempt to maintain a sense of superiority by mocking the price tag rather than the product. But if we look at it logically, is a shirt less beautiful because it was affordable? Is the cotton less soft? Is the design less creative? Of course not. The utility and the aesthetics remain the same, but the “social currency” changes.
The Leadership Lesson in Value
As leaders and managers, we are not immune to this social conditioning. In fact, we often fall into this exact same trap in the workplace. We tend to overvalue the “expensive” or the “rare”—the high-priced external consultant who flies in for a weekend, the flashy and complex software with the massive annual licensing fee, or the candidate who comes with a prestigious, high-cost Ivy League degree.
While we chase these high-status assets, we frequently overlook the affordable, consistent, and reliable “everyday” assets already at our disposal. We ignore the internal team member who has the answer but lacks the “Executive” title. We skip over the simple, low-cost software solution that works perfectly because we want the one with the most “bells and whistles.”
We need to stop equating price with worth. In leadership, as in life:
- Is an employee less valuable because they do not have a fancy background? Absolutely not. Some of the most resilient and innovative leaders I have ever met started in the most humble roles.
- Is a solution less effective because it was “cheap” to implement? No. Efficiency is the hallmark of great leadership, and finding the most affordable path to a result is a skill, not a compromise.
Shifting the Narrative
Don’t you think it’s time we stopped commenting on things just because they are accessible to everyone? The democratization of fashion, technology, and education is one of the greatest achievements of the modern age. It should be celebrated, not mocked.
In life and in business, true value is found in the utility (how well it works) and the joy (how it makes you feel) that something brings to your life. It is not found in the price tag attached to it or the exclusivity of the brand name. When we laugh at someone’s affordable choice, we are essentially saying that their wisdom in saving money is a flaw. That is a mindset we cannot afford to keep.
Breaking the Stigma
The next time you are at “tea-time” or in a management meeting, and someone mentions an affordable choice—whether it is a budget-friendly vendor, a simple process fix, or a brand like Zudio—be the person who recognizes the value.
Be the one who says, “It looks great,” or “That sounds like a smart, efficient solution.” Refuse to join the laugh. When we break the stigma that says “worthy” must mean “expensive,” we open the door to a more inclusive and practical world.
We should judge things by their substance, not their cost. A leader who can see the diamond in the rough—the value in the accessible—is a leader who will always find a way to succeed, regardless of the budget. Let us start valuing people and things for what they are, not for what they cost.
Next time you see “everyone wearing the same thing,” don’t see a lack of originalty. See a successful bridge that was built so that everyone could cross. Let’s start respecting the “affordable” for the freedom it provides.
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