Dropping the Anchor

A really fun article on the "anchoring effect." To wit:

You depend on anchoring every day to predict the outcome of events, to estimate how much time something will take or how much money something will cost.
When you need to choose between options, or estimate a value, you need footing to stand on.
How much should you be paying for cable? How much should your electricity bill be each month? What is a good price for rent in this neighborhood?
You need an anchor from which to compare, and when someone is trying to sell you something they are more than happy to provide one. The problem is, even when you know this, you can’t ignore it.