Abstract

This paper attempts to show that sustainable consumption depends on individual’s pursuit of subjective well-being or happiness. Under the influence of global consumer culture, people believe that the more they consume the happier they will be. Therefore, they keep spending more for greater expected pleasure. Paradoxically, with more and more consumption, people are achieving same or less happiness. This is neither desirable nor sustainable. Therefore, there is an urgent need to examine and modify the current hedonic happiness model, which is based on always more consumption, in order to achieve more happiness while reducing consumption to sustainable levels. This paper is an attempt to examine the relationship between current conspicuous consumption and the hedonic happiness model promoted by the global consumer culture. The paper offers an alternative happiness path compatible with human nature resulting in less and sustainable consumption that will increase both psychological and ecological well-being.

Year of Publication
2010
Secondary Title
SSRN
Publication Language
eng
Citation Key
Aydin2010
DOI
10.2139/ssrn.1633620

{Subjective Well-Being and Sustainable Consumption}

Professor, Department of Finance

Citation: {Subjective Well-Being and Sustainable Consumption}. SSRN. 2010. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1633620

In: SSRN

Published by: , 2010

Cited by: