"At the same time, I feel anxious and annoyed by the manufactured sense of urgency around gift giving: the endless searching and second-guessing shaped by advertisers, retailers and cultural expectations. Don't get me wrong, I mostly love giving - and, yes, receiving - gifts during the holidays. But as a researcher who studies consumer psychology, I see how those same forces, amplified by constant buying opportunities and frictionless online payments, make us especially vulnerable and often unwise this time of year."
"Buying behavior, including gift giving, doesn't just reflect needs and wants but also our values. Frequently, the values we talk about are more akin to aspirational ideals. Our actual values are revealed in the seemingly inconsequential choices we make day after day - including shopping. The cumulative effects of our spending behaviors carry enormous implications for society, the environment and everyone's well-being - from the purchaser and recipient to people working throughout the supply chain."
Many people experience joyful anticipation of holiday traditions, social connection, and seasonal treats. Simultaneously, manufactured urgency around gift giving driven by advertisers, retailers, and cultural expectations creates anxiety, endless searching, and second-guessing. Frictionless online payments and constant buying opportunities amplify vulnerability to unwise purchases. Buying behavior reflects values, but spoken values are often aspirational; actual values emerge through daily, seemingly inconsequential choices like shopping. The cumulative effects of spending influence society, the environment, and well-being for purchasers, recipients, and supply-chain workers. Applying a wisdom-oriented, values-informed perspective to consumption supports choices that better promote broad well-being.
Read at The Conversation
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