What People Share vs. What They Say They Want

How many times in your life have you tweeted ‘I want money’? I thought so…

That doesn’t mean most of us don’t want more money. But do we just casually share it with the world? No.

You see, this study by NetBase that compares what people say they want and what they share on social media is (almost) completely different. After monitoring social networks for the ‘I want phrase’, the company put together a top 10 of the most ‘requested’ things online by both men and women. They then compared it with a Harris study that asked “What is the one thing you want right now?” and came to the conclusion that what people say they want and what they share on social media is different. The article explains that people share items online based on emotions, but provide rational answers when asked about what they like.

That’s correct, but why should this become a big deal in the first place?

In my opinion the two surveys deal with two completely different things (see the image below). People share on social media their desires at that moment in time, but when asked for a survey “What is the one thing you want right now?” they think about something that’s really important to them. Also, I believe that during the Harris survey respondents were given set answers in order to help with the research process.

That’s it. Two completely different studies: one that deals with the ‘important’ things people want and the other that measures people’s impulsive needs. What I find even more interesting in this infographic is the fact that both men and women want most of the same things (and that most men think more about having a companion than sex).

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