Got gift-giving on your mind? You're not the only one to agonize over it! Is exchanging presents a magical practice of reciprocity that leads to stronger human bonds (Team Anthropology!) or is it an inefficient scourge leading to deadweight loss (Team Economics!)? In this episode, we explore these two camps...and in the process get to Japan's extreme gifting culture (Maria’s our in-house expert!), best/worst presents (yay!/ack!), holiday shopping, and registries. Get ready folks, we unwrap gift giving like no one else does—like nerds!

 

 

Links to Stuff We Talk About

Theory

Bronisław Malinowski, “Argonauts of the Western Pacific: An account of native enterprise and adventure in the Archipelagoes of Melanesian New Guinea” (Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1922) http://wolnelektury.pl/katalog/lektura/argonauts-of-the-western-pacific/ [N&M note:  Yes, this title is bad, like baaaad.]

Marcel Mauss, “The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic Societies” (Cohen & West Ltd, 1966). https://archive.org/details/giftformsfunctio00maus [N&M note:  Yes, this one too.]

Joel Waldfogel, “Scroogenomics:  Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays” (Princeton University Press, 2009). http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8972.html

 

Context

“Why Economists Hate Gifts”. Planet Money. December 11, 2011. NPR. 
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/12/23/144195081/the-friday-podcast-why-economists-hate-gifts

Caitlin Kenney. “The Most Wasteful Time Of Year.” Planet Money. November 25, 2009. NPR. 
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2009/11/podcast_happy_efficent_holiday.html

Shankar Vedantam. "New Study Explores Psychology Of Giving Wedding Gifts." All Things Considered. June 24, 2016. NPR. http://www.npr.org/2016/06/24/483426485/new-study-explores-psychology-of-giving-wedding-gifts

 

Bonus

On Japanese gift giving etiquette

On Valentine’s Day & White Day in Japan 

 

Music this time by 50 Cent, The Isley Brothers, Queen Mariah & Natalie Merchant