Sherman Folland investigates the influential role social capital plays in mental health and physical wellbeing. […]
Tag Archives: family
The Importance of being Social
No Place Like Home
March 22, 2018
Antonio Argandoña explores the role the home plays in modern society and its importance for global legislative, political and institutional initiatives. […]
How Can Parental Disadvantages be Compensated?
April 20, 2017
Jani Erola and Elina Kilpi-Jakonen examine the influence of resource compensation on social mobility. […]
Vanity Economics: An Economic Exploration of Sex, Marriage and Family – by C. Simon Fan
May 6, 2014
We live in an era of consumerism. Influenced by a powerful media, many people indulge in the purchase of ever-expanding varieties of goods and services. A new word, “oniomania,” was created to describe some people’s compulsive urge to shop. However, most consumption activities are simply for “vanity” rather than for biological needs. Back in 1899, Veblen put forward the theory of “conspicuous consumption”, which argues that economic behaviour is socially determined and driven by the human instincts of emulation and social comparison. Similarly, John Maynard Keynes argued that an important aspect of our desire for the conspicuous consumption of goods is “in the sense that we feel them only if their satisfaction lifts us above, makes us feel superior to, our fellows.” Dave Ramsey puts it more vividly: “We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don ’t like.”
June 4, 2019
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