People are now frequently persuaded to act in ways that are at odds with their own self-interest.  This ranges from the trivial of the annual changes in women's fashions

No, no, no. Following the changes in fashions, especially with high-end stuff is an excellent, clear piece of conspicious consumption that demonstrates you have the time and money to do so. It's all about status display, which is not against the person's self-interest: it's essentiasl to it.

This  is one of the failings of the utopians: people like status and currently it is derived from consumption. You have to provide acceptable substitutes. As energy gets more expensive, conspicious consumption of energy will become even more of a status symbol.