Honestly, and I think this is part of what the comic is getting at, spending money to buy a new shiny can deliver a hit of dopamine at the moment. But once that hit fades, a variety of other feelings about that purchase can set in.

So it’s not as simple as whether buying something makes you happy, it’s whether the act of purchasing the thing, experiencing the newness, actually owning and using the thing, all bring you happiness. And on top of that, whether the things you could have bought instead would bring you more happiness.

I actually relate pretty hard to this, if it’s not obvious lol