Where Did My Old World Go?

Youve just bought a new car. Its the latest model; it has the whiz-bang features that will definitely single you out from the merely mortal driving rank and file. You know you paid a bit (maybe a lot) too much, but with this car you make a unique and powerful statement to all others on the road. This car is as different from the herd as you are! Yet, as you drive this rare sparkling beauty home from the lot you suddenly notice the roadways dotted with several other nearly identical cars. Hmmmnever noticed those before. Somewhat deflated, it slowly dawns on you that your chromium highlighted beauty came from an assembly line, and it obviously wasnt the only one of its species turned out that day. You uniqueness becomes similar to dozens of other drivers.

This is an occurrence so common it has a name: seeing the same car syndrome. How is it that our subjective experience of the world can change so sharply with a simple purchase? We can either assume there is a profound metaphysical change, and the infinite cosmic auto-assembly plant suddenly seeded our roads with more of your cherished previously unique vehicle; or, that somehow the act of buying and valuing this...