Diderot Effect, or how I almost bought a treadmill

Hi!

During the 2020 lockdown, all I could see in my Instagram and YouTube feed was people working out, and Dalgona coffee. I didn’t have the skills to make Instagrammable food, so I turned to try and get into shape.

Cult.fit had started their online classes for free at the time, so I thought I’d check them out. Unsurprisingly, I sucked at completing the class. I tried to analyse why I couldn’t complete those exercises, and got my light-bulb moment. It was my lack of gym clothes. Duh! I’m a gym bro now. So to be able to move better and look great while I sweat, I bought some gym clothes. And new shoes of course, because who exercises with those old running shoes?

I retried the classes, and still failed. During those exercises I realized that my arm strength was terrible. And to fix that, I bought a new set of dumbbells. I’m a gym bro now, so of course I need to have gym equipment at home. I exercised for a couple of days, but then I suddenly had a lot of work and a lot of TV shows to catch up on.

My dumbbells still collect dust in some corner of my house. And I’m definitely still not a gym bro.

And I’m not the only one

Turns out there was a guy in the 18th century who also had problems with buying stuff to try and change his identity. In his essay “Regrets for my Old Dressing Gown”, Denis Diderot talks about an unexpected gift he receives - an expensive dressing gown. But this gown didn’t fit with the existing possessions he had - a straw chair, a wooden table, old paintings without frames. These were items of a poor person. With the new gown, he couldn’t look poor anymore.

To fit with his new identity, he upgrades his chair to a new leather chair. Off went the wooden table and in came a new writing desk with drawers. New paintings by Vernet replaced the old no-name paintings. Once he realizes what has happened, he regrets the financial ruin he’s caused himself. He’d become a slave to the new gown.

The Diderot effect

When we usually buy stuff, they tend to align with our sense of identity. For example, a cheerful, bubbly person might like things which are bright and colorful. Those items reflect the person’s personality. And when we buy a new item, it complements the items we already have.

But when we get our hands on an item which deviates from our current set of possessions, it creates dissatisfaction with our existing stuff, and in effect, our identity. To fix this, we tend to buy new things and upgrade our old things to complement the new item and recreate that cohesion through a new identity.

Modern society has convinced us to identify ourselves with our possessions. This, combined with the Diderot Effect, is a big motivation for over-consumption. It drives needless shopping and creates unnecessary waste.

In my example, I was a slob before. I had boring clothes which were comfortable, but not suited to exercise in. When I tried out those Cult online classes to become fit, I tried to create a new identity of looking lean and muscular. To fit that image, I sought out new training clothes, new shoes and even tried to create a home gym. Thank God I didn’t have space in my house, otherwise I’d have bought myself a treadmill - only to have it as another clothes hanger.

How do we keep it under control

1. Be aware when it’s happening

Be observant when you’re buying new things. Is your shopping showing signs of over-consumption?

2. Avoid unnecessary purchases

Replace items only when it breaks down. Replacing stuff just because it doesn’t fit the vibe is usually not a legitimate reason when it works just fine.

Also, buy things because they’re useful to you, not because they’re a status symbol.

3. Set milestones to upgrade your stuff

When trying out new hobbies, don’t go overboard. Buy the minimum things required, and upgrade when you achieve a personal milestone.

For example, I recently took up running to improve my fitness. To keep new things to a minimum, I reused the gym shirts and shoes for my running. Sure, they’re not what the pros use, but they are comfortable and get the job done.

My milestone is to run consistently for six months before I buy anything new, like a phone holder to track my runs. Or maybe a smartwatch? And sunglasses?

OK I’ll stop.

Wrapping up

Modern advertising might entice us to buy stuff to “elevate” our personality, but we are more than our possessions. We are defined by our efforts and successes, and the stuff is only there to help us get there.