Wednesday, January 23, 2008

I confess, it was Jan's specialization I lusted after...

Once again economists earn their public ridicule by establishing a new economic model for marriage.
So what drives modern marriage? We believe that the answer lies in a shift from the family as a forum for shared production, to shared consumption. In case the language of economic lacks romance, let’s be clearer: modern marriage is about love and companionship. Most things in life are simply better shared with another person: this ranges from the simple pleasures such as enjoying a movie or a hobby together, to shared social ties such as attending the same church, and finally, to the joint project of bringing up children. Returning to the language of economics, the key today is consumption complementarities — activities that are not only enjoyable, but are more enjoyable when shared with a spouse. We call this new model of sharing our lives “hedonic marriage”. [More]
Although, I must admit, Jan's hedonistic attractions are not easily overlooked...

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