Being in United Kingdom to study is surely an overwhelming experience for me. I was fascinated by the system, rule and management here. One more thing that surprised me was the dress sense, quite visible when analyzed through my perspectives. The first adaptation lesson was to imitate the dressing pattern of my fellow classmates. Within a month, I look like my mates and started to do things what they were doing. Dressing pattern and changes in my behavior during this first month of study compelled me to think about the theories behind the decision making. Was I rational on buying new clothes or something was pushing me to change my dressing pattern? I spent hefty amount of money to buy new clothes here though there were enough with me already.
Consumption pattern of individual will certainly follow the rational choice model. One would think and analyze thousand times before buying something. The variable which will be in one's mind will certainly be price, quality and choice. Completing cost benefit analysis and thinking this is the right thing to have, an individual will buy a product yet back of the mind, there will be a desire to be equal to all others around you. When someone is making a decision while purchasing, the mind will always be thinking of what the neighbours, friends and societal circles will think about that. Consumer will certainly analyze the situation afterwards, whether having the product will make him "The One" or it will make him equal to other people or not. As I chose to buy new clothes that will make me look like my friends, any individuals will analyze the equity while buying things. Being equal to others, looking similar to others, having similar status with others are the issues that will be addressed by the equity theory. The equity issue is within the realm of social approach of achieving sustainable consumption.
Since, being equal to others is anyone's right and an inner desire to many; it will have enough impact on individuals while making a rational decision. So, consuming sustainably will also require us to think about the approaches that are in between the two quite different approaches. One will make decision, rationally, within his ability but that decision making ability will be influenced by many things around the individual. Information is not enough. I know there are many other issues to influence individual but being equal is certainly the major one.
The issue of equity is also shown in the example provided in "The New Economics (Boyle and Simms)" as President of Vanuatu said "Don't tell too many people, please", while it became the nation with highest Happy Planet Index (HDI) when published for the first time. He added "people are happy here because they are satisfied with what they have". May be that's why small island nations of the world are among the top performing ones when it comes to happy planet index. May be, people from these nations do not have a need to live like others since they are not in contact to the nations with higher economic growth and development. May be if they see the development they will have that desire to consume. So I agree with Vanuatu president and urge you all "Don't tell that to anybody, please."
