Twenty-five years ago, economist Tibor Scitovsky explored some of the consequences of the phenomenon of adaptation in his book The Joyless Economy. Human beings, Scitovsky said, want to experience pleasure. And when they consume, they do experience pleasure-as long as the things they consume are novel. But as people adapt-as the novelty wears off-pleasure comes to be replaced by comfort. It's a thrill to drive your new car for the first few weeks; after that, it's just comfortable. It certainly beats the old car, but it isn't much of a kick. Comfort is nice enough, but people want pleasure. And comfort isn't pleasure.
The concept of adaptation in human behavior was explored by economist Tibor Scitovsky in his book The Joyless Economy. He argued that people pursue pleasure through consumption, but this pleasure wanes over time as the novelty of new things fades. Initially, consumers find joy in new experiences, such as driving a new car, but eventually the excitement diminishes, replaced by a sense of comfort. While comfort is a welcomed state, it fails to provide the same pleasurable experience that novelty once did.
This idea highlights a paradox in consumer behavior: although individuals may accumulate more possessions or experiences, the joy they derive from them can diminish. As noted by Barry Schwartz in The Paradox of Choice, this shift from pleasure to comfort can lead to dissatisfaction, as people may find themselves yearning for the excitement that novelty brings but instead settle for a more stable, yet less thrilling existence. Ultimately, understanding this dynamic can help explain modern consumer anxieties and the search for meaningful pleasure in a world of abundant choices.
