You can extend this into every aspect of our society that has divided us into smaller and smaller manageable groups. It's not just fashion labels or status symbols; all kinds of labels divide us. It's not only 'brand loyalty' that enables us to stop thinking for ourselves and go along for the ride with everyone else; it's also the main function of political parties. It's how many people practice religion and patriotism. Even social justice movements can play this divisive role. Any group can be hijacked and/or led to extremism, or otherwise into conflict with another group.

I think that whenever we put ourselves in a group, we should never forget our true identity nor submit it to the identity of the group. We should be aware of the filters of the group, evaluate our own actions and decisions accordingly, and never trust the group over the self. In other words, rather than making a purchase solely because of the label, we should evaluate the quality of the product ourselves.