America Suffers & Value Mania

The dictionary defines it as "excessive or irrational enthusiasm" mania. So in this case, it would be an excessive or irrational enthusiasm for value. But it is there anything remotely reasonable about demand good value when spending money?

It is a story USA Today explaining how "mania of value" has affected American consumers and in turn, retailers where consumers are more likely to find the best value lately. Even the rich have adopted "ultra-valor-conscious shopping habits," including to arrest the practice of carelessly throwing everything sorta want in the shopping cart, regardless of the price or convenience. The story quotes some data to support the theory:

Almost 45% of consumers say have become "more practical and realistic in purchases," according to a poll of consumers in may by BIGresearch. It is of the 43% of May 2010 and up to 37% five years ago.

Use of coupon, which rose as pence clamping of homes during the recession, has continued to increase as the economy recovers. Part, just 22% of households use coupons. In the heart of the recession, which coincided with the birth of coupons of acuerdo-estilo daily: coupon use was on the rise, with 35% of households in cropping them. The figure is now up to 37%.

The course could be than the poor or just poor who are using all the coupons, but that has not been the case in a long time. Studies show that rich consumers (households with income of $70 K +) are more likely to use coupons. These more affluent consumers, then, are those who also are more likely to be experiencing "mania of value".

But let's think about this. "Mania" is a "more practical and realistic" approach of the back-to-basics, for consumption, in which enjoyment, value and utility weigh against the purchase price. This "mania of value" is basically the same approach to the eminently sensible "Mindful spending" J.D. writes today. It is the opposite of consumption without sense, buy things because others are doing, because it always has, or any other false no-razón.

Which of these approaches is truly "excessive and irrational"?

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