Using the Pillow method to analyze a vehicle purchase decision

Pillow method is a popular tool that can help someone see different perspectives that are involved in any point of conflict. This model looks at a disagreement from four different perspectives that can all provide insights into differing perspectives. In this essay I will use this model to illustrate a disagreement that I had about purchasing a new vehicle. At a time I wanted to purchase a Ford Mustang and this vehicle was far from practical. However, I had my heart set on it and I was stubbornly arguing for the purchase.

I'm right and you're wrong

The car in our culture is an important representation of us. You can tell a lot about a person by the vehicle they drive. When we are young, these images can be overvalued. I spent many hours picking out the perfect car for me. I was in love with the color, the style, and the cars performance. The car was a sporty Ford Mustang with a manual transmission. It was over my budget but still within reach and knew I had to have it.

Your right and I'm wrong

My mother and father were not as convinced as I was and they made several arguments against the car. It was too expensive and I would have trouble affording it. The gas mileage wasn't very good and the repairs would likely be expensive. Finally, the trunk and interior space were on the small side and I would have trouble hauling some stuff around for school. All of these points were definitely correct.

We're both right and we're both wrong

I was paying for the vehicle myself and it should be ultimately my choice on which vehicle I decided to purchase. Something about the Mustang just felt right and it seemed like the perfect car. Despite the seeming certainty of the cars appeal, my parents did make some valid points and the car was definitely not the most practical choice. Yet my parents did not appreciate the emotional appeal of the car and how proud I would be to drive it.

Conclusion

The Mustang would have made me happy -- at least for a while. It was a beautiful car that I would have been proud to own. However, it didn't really suit my needs at the time and a more suitable car would have been more appropriate. After much debate, my parents were able to influence my decision and ultimately I decided to pick something that was more practical but I still liked and was fun to drive. Although the decision probably wasn't all that important in the long run, by working through the issues with my parents I believe that I was able to make a better decision that was most likely beneficial and certainly more practical.