Choiceology With Dan Heath

Mullets. Skinny jeans. Crocs. Many of us can recall trends that we've jumped on, only to see those trends become passé soon after. But the fear of missing out can snowball into heavier consequences.In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at how speculation and rapidly growing trends, however niche, can cloud people's judgment. A tight knit group of friends in Chicago start buying stuffed animals from a little-known toymaker, called Ty Warner, for their kids. The friends' enthusiasm for the toys is contagious, and soon the demand for these cute stuffed animals, called Beanie Babies, is growing so quickly that people are treating them as investments. People are lining up for hours to get their hands on the newest releases. Parents are using their kids' college funds to collect Beanie Babies. Collectors are buying secondhand Beanie Babies for thousands of dollars. Filmmaker Yemisi Brookes tells the story of how a group of moms launched an unassuming stuffed toy to unexpected highs—and lows.Yemi