I am not a psychologist, nor am I a philosopher. But I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the goals we pursue, the things we own, and the items we buy. I find it to be a fascinating study into the human spirit.
There are countless reasons we buy more stuff than we need. Some motivations are pushed upon us by society. But other causes seem to spring from our own internal motivations. Either way, arriving at a healthy understanding of why we buy more than we need is a worthy pursuit.
Which is one reason I find the Diderot Effect to be such an interesting phenomenon. This motivation for overconsumption, originally noted in the 18th Century by a French philosopher named Denis Diderot, is still commonplace among us.
The simplest description of the Diderot Effect is this: “the introduction of a new possession into a consumer’s existence will often result in a process of spiraling consumption.”
In other words, the purchase of one new item often leads to the purchase of another. We can see this play out in small ways:
Last week, my wife took my 9-year old daughter school shopping for the upcoming year. On her shopping list was a new backpack. After viewing her choices, my daughter chose one. But this new backpack does not match the lunch bag she used last year—and so, almost immediately, “new lunch bag” was added to the shopping list, even though her lunch bag from last year still worked just fine.
The introduction of a new item (the backpack) resulted in a desire for further consumption. But this, as I mentioned, is only a small example.
There are more examples of the Diderot Effect all around us:
- We buy a new shirt or dress… and immediately begin looking for new shoes to match, instead of maintaining a minimalist wardrobe.
- We bring home a new couch… and suddenly the end tables in our living room appear old and shabby, in need of replacement.
- We purchase a new car… and soon begin spending money on car washes, more expensive gasoline, or a parking pass.
- We move into a new home… and use the occasion to replace our existing bedroom set with a new one.
In each circumstance, the reality is that we already owned enough shoes and our end tables and bedroom furniture worked just fine before. But because something new had been introduced into our lives, we were immediately drawn into a process of spiraling consumption.
Denis Diderot observed and noted this phenomenon in an essay titled, “Regrets on Parting with My Old Dressing Gown.” In the fictional story, he receives a new, elegant dressing gown from his friend, a kind gesture. However, upon receiving the gown, Denis notices all his other possessions begin to look drab and faded compared to it. He begins replacing them—all of them—even the art on the walls. And by the end of story, Denis notes, “I was absolute master of my old dressing gown, but I have become a slave to my new one.”
In this way, Diderot explains how new consumption often leads to further consumption. But more than that, he argues that we begin identifying with our possessions and search for new things that fit into our specific mold. The purchase of fashion, he would argue, is rarely about the functional use of clothing—it’s not just about finding thread to cover our bodies. Instead, the purchase of clothing (and everything else) represents an opportunity for self-expression.
But for this piece, I am more interested in the idea of over accumulation, how purchases often lead to more, unplanned purchases. Because once you understand the principle, you can begin to break its cycle.
How then might we overcome the Diderot Effect in our lives and resist this pattern of unnecessary consumerism? Let me offer some thoughts:
1. Become aware it is happening. Observe when you are being drawn into spiraling consumption not because you are in actual need of an item, but only because something new has been introduced.
2. Analyze and predict the full cost of future purchases. A store may be having a great sale on a new outfit—but if the new outfit compels you to buy a new pair of shoes or handbag to match, it just became a more expensive purchase than originally assumed.
3. Avoid unnecessary new purchases. Realize the Diderot Effect is a significant force and overcoming it is very difficult. You may avoid replacing those end tables at first, but eventually, at some point down the road, you are going to break down and buy new ones that better match the new couch. There are times when we have a legitimate need to buy new things. But the best way to overcome the Diderot Effect is to never allow it to overpower you in the first place.
4. Remind yourself that possessions do not define you. The abundance of life is not found in the things that you own. Your possessions do not define you or your success—no matter what marketers will try to tell you.
5. Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status. Stop trying to impress others with your stuff and start trying to impress them with your life.
Notice the Diderot Effect in your own life. Soon, as you begin to recognize it around you, it will become one less cause of unnecessary consumerism in your home and wallet (assuming that wallet already matches your handbag).
Heather Spiva says
Phenomenal post. Thank you!
Thomas McNamara says
I started clicking on highlighted links in these articles. Doing so led me to this post. Then I clicked on another link on this page. Then I clicked on yet another link. Then I backtracked to this post. I just got myself into a Diderot Effect of link-clicking! 🤣🤪😜😱🌀😵💫
Brian says
A great post. Diderot couldn’t afford to pay for his daughter’s wedding. When Catherine the Great, an admirer of his work, heard about his plight she bought his back catalogue. His new found wealth not only allowed him to pay for a lavish wedding but also treat himself to a new red dressing gown. This was the start of the ‘mission creep’. We are so guilty of this in the modern world.
Aamir Shafi says
An excerpt from “Atomic Habits” by James clear !
Joann says
One of your best post , thanks
Başak y. says
Hi, i’m woman,35. I used to have few clothes and spor style. Boys that i dated said, you are not cool, you must be more stylish, you must wear more attractive clothes. You must have leather jacket. Clothes are so important for women’s attractiveness at least in my society. Having so many clothes always doesnt feed my soul, i feel bad. I only try to buy pieces that i really love and wear for long time. What do you think about this? For example we talk celebrty women clothes so often.
Michelle says
Hi Joshua – (Sight) wow… it felt overwhelming to hear that you can be “spoiled” with so much when you don’t space out and at the end let yourself be submerged and run down your savings .
Thank you!
(I just didn’t know it has a name!)
I like all the points you ‘ve made, i can see well myself doing those :0I
Shilpa Kamoli says
Nicely depicted with artifacts, which added blend to your thoughts and experience.
kudos to you.
Ariel Dumaran says
This is not about thriftiness or being stingy ….rather a detachment from what ego is making us believe as reality. If you can perceive that everything is basically at its physical definition as nothing in quantum level you will begin to pursue that which gives true meaning as to who we really are at the outset. What were made of goes beyond what we possess but what or who possesses us.
Del Cusay says
If we have reach certain level of financial success in life, we also tend to level up on our living standards. Hence, we buy things that we like or want and it serves the purpose which is to look good. And if we look good, it follows that we also feel good, and then we do good or even great things… That’s also the ripple effect…
Valerie Curtis says
Joshua, I really enjoyed this blog/essay. I’m in a personal quandary now – Do I want to replace my fireplace tools because I really need all 4 tools working (and looking all shiny and bright) or am I looking to replace the tools because I can well afford to buy them so I should? I’ll debate on this, with myself, for a few weeks.
Rhonda says
Why not “clean” the tools? I had been looking for a couple of cabinets for my laundry room. Scoured Marketplace and ReStore and couldn’t find anything. I went home and typed “free” into the Marketplace search engine and someone down the street had just put in a brand new, mass and poorly produced kitchen, discarding their old, solid wood one as “undesirable”. I got in my car, drove over (with my wall measurements where the cabinets were to go) and picked up two of them. I took them apart, cleaned the hinges, sanded and painted the cabinets with an updated colour and replaced only the knobs since the old ones were removed. My best friend thought I had gone out and purchased two brand new cabinets. We have to start taking care of what is already HERE. I get huge satisfaction in working on something to make it into something new.