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Daddee
I once was a slug.
Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 2815
Location: Mesa, AZ
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 Posted: 2/3/2005, 11:51 am Post subject: Business before pleasure |
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You can read the rest of this article if you like, but the gist is in the first few paragraphs:
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In a study that sheds new light on how consumers choose between pleasurable or practical products, a University of Washington researcher has found that people are more likely to buy fun products, but only if the situation allows them the flexibility to rationalize their purchases.
According to Erica Okada, an assistant professor of marketing at the UW Business School, goods can be broadly categorized into hedonic goods that offer enjoyment and utilitarian goods that offer practical functionality.
For example, she said, in the wide product category of automobiles, sports cars are more hedonic and sport utility vehicles are generally more utilitarian. Between a sports car and an SUV, consumers may find the prospect of buying a sports car more appealing, but in a side by side comparison, consumers are much more likely to buy the SUV to avoid feeling guilty for buying something that is perceived more as a want than a need.
She found that when a hedonic product and a utilitarian one of comparable value are each presented singly for evaluation, the hedonic alternative tends to elicit a higher rating. However, when the two are presented side by side, the utilitarian alternative is more likely to be chosen. |
The lesson? Never think: "Hmm, new pack....or....pay my bills?"
Just buy that pack!
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"Only small minds want always to be right."
- Louis XIV
"...haven't you lived long enough to know that two men may honestly differ about a question and both be right?"
- Abraham Lincoln |
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matt gilbert
Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 698
Location: Mesa
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| Posted: 2/3/2005, 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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Did you know that "hedonic" comes from the word 'hedon' which was a made up word to describe "a unit of pleasure"? and that the standardized definition as we use it today has the exact opposite meaning as it was originally intended to? The hedonists actually sought to limit the amount of pleasure that they took in order to make the pleasure they did recieve more enjoyable. In Philosophy we refer to this as the Twinky Theory which goes like this: One twinky is pretty good right? Well what if you only got one twinky every ten years, then it would be really good, right? on the other hand if you had to sit down and eat 1,000 twinkies you would soon tire of them alltogether. So then the idea is that if you limit your pleasure you will get more out of it than you would if you indulged all the time. The main man behind this theory is named Epicurus. Sound familiar? An epicurean delight is something that you don't get all the time, now you know why...
On a side note sorry for the completely off-topic philisophic rant, it's just been one of those days.
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Cogito ergo ambulo cum sacculo
-Matt Gilbert |
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Shawn
I'll sell you map to Lost Dutchman mine!
Joined: 03 Jan 2003
Posts: 2592
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ
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| Posted: 2/3/2005, 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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HOw about 4 packs of twinkies and a diet pepsi? Is that hedonistic or epicurian?
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see. |
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Hikngrl
Canyoneering is my 'Happy Place'
Joined: 27 May 2003
Posts: 5578
Location: Peoria, AZ
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| Posted: 2/3/2005, 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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I hope you feel better now Matt! 
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~~~Diane~~~
I want to shine! |
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Hnak
Joined: 06 Jan 2003
Posts: 1766
Location: Prescott, AZ
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| Posted: 2/3/2005, 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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| sredfield wrote: |
| HOw about 4 packs of twinkies and a diet pepsi? Is that hedonistic or epicurian? |
Mmmm, sounds like dinner to me. (this is my software geek side speaking...)  |
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BoyNhisDog
The dangerous place where the winds meet
Joined: 05 Jan 2003
Posts: 1375
Location: Tucson
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| Posted: 2/4/2005, 5:11 am Post subject: |
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I heard somewhere they were going to quit making Twinkies.  No more pleasure now. 
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Seize from every moment its unique novelty and do not prepare your joys
- Andre Gide |
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azhiker96
Joined: 05 Jan 2003
Posts: 1419
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| Posted: 2/5/2005, 10:06 am Post subject: |
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| I knew a guy in Austin, Texas who had a 3 year old twinkie on his desk. He'd heard they could last indefinitely due to all the preservatives and was testing out the theory. He'd originally planned to eat it after 10 years. It was still soft in the package after 3 years. |
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Shawn
I'll sell you map to Lost Dutchman mine!
Joined: 03 Jan 2003
Posts: 2592
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ
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| Posted: 2/5/2005, 10:25 am Post subject: |
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Better living through chemistry!
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see. |
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