Discuss.
"The Hedonic Treadmill"
I set a goal to acquire something. When I set the goal I believe the sense of pleasure I get from achieving it will last forever. It doesn't. Once I achieve the goal and get the "thing"I do get a sense of pleasure. However, rather than lasting for ever, I quickly "normalise" to the new "thing" and the sense of pleasure diminishes. Repeat ad nauseum - the "Hedonic treadmill" (Tim Kasser, the High Price of Materialism, p102)
Raises several questions:
- How do I know this is true? - empirically (give an example or three), but is there research to support it. Is it true for everyone? i.e. is it hard wired into humans and if so: why?
- Why does the need to acquire something arise in the first place? Automaticity of behaviour - comparisons with others? Advertising? Peer pressure? If so, what was the "first cause"? Who started the race? Makes evolutionary sense?
- Why does acquiring something new give me a sense of pleasure? Is this linked to the business of putting my identity into external objects?
- Why does the sense of pleasure diminish and what determines the rate? Is it true for all things? What does "normalise" mean and what is it?
Ah, questions, questions. This whole thing has perplexed me for a long while. I can't find the answer clearly spelled out in any book...can you, random reader?
So, here we go, one man's mission to boldly go and explore the dark heart of my consumerist suicidal tendency.
One plus point, Tim Kasser's original statement implies that it doesn't have to be this way. In fact, he states:
"What stands out across the studies is a simple fact: people who strongly value the pursuit of wealth and possessions report lower psychological well-being that those who are less concerned with such aims." Tim Kasser, The High Price of Materialism, p5
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