The Diderot Effect is a phenomenon where the acquisition of a new possession leads to a spiral of consumption, as people feel the need to buy additional items to complement the original purchase. The term was coined by the French philosopher Denis Diderot in his essay “Regrets on Parting with My Old Dressing Gown” in 1769.
In the essay, Diderot describes how he received a beautiful new dressing gown as a gift, but as a result, he began to feel dissatisfied with the rest of his possessions, which he now saw as shabby and old-fashioned in comparison. This led to a series of purchases to upgrade his other possessions, which ultimately left him worse off financially than before.
The Diderot Effect is now widely recognized in social psychology as a type of consumption trap, where the acquisition of a new possession leads to a cycle of desire and consumption that can be difficult to break. The effect arises because people often base their self-worth and identity on their possessions, and a new item can trigger a desire to maintain consistency and coherence in their self-concept.
A good example of the Diderot Effect can be seen in the purchase of a new smartphone. A person may buy a new smartphone that has advanced features, such as a high-quality camera, fast processing speed, or a large screen. However, this purchase may lead them to feel dissatisfied with their other possessions, such as their outdated laptop or their old phone accessories, which may prompt them to make additional purchases to upgrade their other possessions. As a result, the person may end up spending more money than they intended, and may also experience a sense of dissatisfaction or discontentment with their possessions, which can lead to further consumption. This leads to constant cycle of upgrading their lifestyle, which means they typically need to work more and harder to support the increase in spending.
Video version of this article explaining the Diderot Effect
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The Diderot Effect can lead to a Hedonistic lifestyle. Want to learn more? Check out:
What is the Paradox of Hedonism?
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