Could you elaborate on that research? I’ve heard the claim, but I don’t quite understand it. Tickets are a possession. They’re a possession that leads to a particular new experience, but most possessions lead to new experiences. I couldn’t experience camping without first possessing a tent, for example. Is it that the tickets lead to a relatively unique new experience? But I doubt that getting lifetime passes instead of one-time tickets would be an inferior gift. Is it that the new experience in the case of the tickets is more likely to be a shared/social experience too? That makes sense, but it wouldn’t rule out board games or a number of other clear “possessions” gift ideas.
Possessions can absolutely produce experiences. The advice is to pay attention to the experiences you’re buying, not just whether you will have something. Having something for the sake of having something doesn’t make you happy (is what the studies show).
Could you elaborate on that research? I’ve heard the claim, but I don’t quite understand it. Tickets are a possession. They’re a possession that leads to a particular new experience, but most possessions lead to new experiences. I couldn’t experience camping without first possessing a tent, for example. Is it that the tickets lead to a relatively unique new experience? But I doubt that getting lifetime passes instead of one-time tickets would be an inferior gift. Is it that the new experience in the case of the tickets is more likely to be a shared/social experience too? That makes sense, but it wouldn’t rule out board games or a number of other clear “possessions” gift ideas.
Possessions can absolutely produce experiences. The advice is to pay attention to the experiences you’re buying, not just whether you will have something. Having something for the sake of having something doesn’t make you happy (is what the studies show).