Diminishing Marginal Utility
October 17, 2007 | Filed under: Mmhmm That's Right, The District Of Columbia, The Great Moving Caper
“Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene.” ~Arthur Christopher Benson
Part of my major was Economics and though I did well in college level economic courses in high school, college was significantly more difficult. I retain very little information when it comes to math or science, which is why my attention span for the production possibilities frontier waned after the first 20 minutes. Those precious moments were instead used to think sweet thoughts of J. Crew and how to perfect a keg stand. The one thing I will always recall is the law of Diminishing Marginal Utility (DMU). With ‘utility’ being satisfaction, the premise follows that as a person increases their consumption of a product, there will be a decline in the satisfaction (utility) that the person derives from the consumption of each additional unit of that product. It’s the law that keeps Chinese Buffet in business as they know that while it’s technically ‘All you can eat’ no one is going to eat seven plates of orange, MSG filled, faux Chinese ribs even if the first plate is so awesome, the subsequent plates of ribs will be less awesome and then you’ll you want to vomit. Not that I know from personal experience or anything.
Lest you think that I’m extolling all of my economic knowledge on you, I have been finding that DMU applies to most everything. Like on Sunday, when we went apple picking, Matza and I each bought a dozen hot apple cider donuts. In years past she had to overnight them to me individually wrapped in order to retain their delicious freshness and I would have one – who the hell am I kidding? Three – and share the rest. I was able to eat them fresh out of the bakery this time so we both had one in the car on the way to the apple trees. Then because I was doing most of the work and demonstrating my flexibility by arching my back to get under a tree to a perfectly shaped apple, I was exhausted at the end so I had another. Then I got home and The Roommate wasn’t there so while watching Tell Me You Love Me, I had two more. There were other insignificant events that mostly involved me sitting in front of google reader and then going to the gym but each time I felt inclined to have a donut even though by the 10th (I shit you not), the allure of the crispy outside and the soft cake-like inside made me want to die. So I did what any smart woman who doesn’t need a larger ass would do; I dumped half a bottle of Downy Wrinkle Releaser on the last two donuts. On Monday, I survived on two apples and a bowl of peas.
I’m writing this from a hotel in DC, where my satisfaction of coming back to one of my favorite cities in the world, has significantly declined. The first time I came back to DC it was great, the second time still pretty good; I could see my friends, shop in Georgetown and buy as much organic seven dollar oatmeal from Whole Foods as I wanted. This trip will last until Saturday and it is my fourth in two months. If DC were donuts or plates of lo mein from the Chinese Buffet, I would have wretched all over the bathroom floor by now. It’s not that I don’t love it here, because I do and everything will always and has since compared to DC, it’s just that I have had this very large tub full of sweaters and boots sitting in the middle of my bedroom floor for like six weeks now. Every morning I have to choose which side to get out of bed based on what I fancy ramming my toe into that morning. Will it be the suitcase full of God knows what? Or maybe I’ll go for the hamper and the box of books? It’s like a fun little guessing game I like to call “How will I fuck up my toe?” and my big toe always loses.
At a fundraiser last night, people couldn’t believe that I lived in upstate NY and continually asked if I was happy and if it was good and how in the world people survived outside of the beltway. The answer is very, very easily. I might complain and compare and might punch the next person who tells me in excruciating detail what it will be like the first time I try to park in my neighborhood after it snows; yet my satisfaction of being in upstate NY has yet to diminish, in fact it’s finally starting to show.
hello insomnia says:
Oh I feel you on the last paragraph. Whenever I tell people that I’m from a small island in the pacific, I hear how “good” my English is and oh my, where there planes there? Um, no, I waited for the high tide and canoed my way here.
Oh don’t get me started on people referring to the way I speak as “really good”. I’m from Upstate NY and people STILL tell me that. But that’s a whole different story for another day.
Bridal Bird says:
Wait, you moved to upstate New York? Ewwwww…
Oh you people in the Beltway are so narrow-minded…
Nilsa S. says:
I live in Chicago and have family in Boston. I drive through upstate New York to go see them … and love the drive. It’s really beautiful. Plus, people who have the craziest of winters can truly appreciate the wonders of summer! I should know!
The winter makes me find summers to be less hellish. I, too, appreciate the different seasons. It’s a simple thing but so great.
Dagny says:
DMU. Hehehe. I haven’t heard that since college — because I did major in econ. Haven’t thought of that in years but yes, it does indeed apply to many things in life. Like some of the guys whom I have dated.
This is the first time I’ve found economics to be remotely useful. I wish that all of my econ courses were economic history as opposed to charts and graphs. I could read Wealth of Nations 157 times but anything by Greg Mankiw gives me hives.
slynnro says:
I don’t have much to add here, except that this is so perfectly written.
That, and I feel the same way about a large variety of foods purchased at Whole Foods. At first taste, delicious. On second tatse, I begin to notice “texture issues.” On third taste, I wonder how the hell I ever liked the shit in the first place.
Honestly, it’s why when I decide to eat donuts - which really isn’t that often - I’ll get exactly one donut hole. And people make fun of me for it, but really I know that after the first one, the rest will be just ‘eh’.
Jennie says:
I really would have taken those last two donuts off your hands.
What do you think of Tell Me You Love Me?
I think that I might never get married or get into a serious relationship or try to have kids or go to couples therapy.
Kidding aside, it’s interesting and good. It’s just painful to watch. Not in a “oh my lord, this shit is awful” type way but I think it’s probably pretty realistic for some people. Do you watch it?
kelly says:
Heh! I’ve lived here 8 years now, and am JUST coming to terms with it (of course I’m not originally from here…) The winters can suck, but it does make you appreciate spring and fall (I will probably never appreciate the worst of summers here - humidity = homicidal maniac).
I’m a one donut hole person too. My husband thinks I’m nuts - “yeah, honey, just order me one chocolate glazed munchkin - kthx!”
It’s an interesting place to live, I’ll give you that much. I’m from here (here being upstate not DC, which is where I am now) and it’s starting to grow on me. I just hope this feeling carries me through winter.
Cindy says:
Ugh. I just experienced DMU while eating my Taco Hell value meal. Should NOT have eaten that last taco.
I’ve been there. It’s how I feel after I’ve eaten all of my fries. I only should have had like 10 but instead I eat them all including the ones at the bottom of the bag and then I want to barf. I’m so classy.
mcgee says:
Have I ever told you what a great writer you are? No? Well you are…all of your posts are so entertaining. You could probably make a post about doing laundry interesting.
Also, hot apple cider donuts?! Oh my hell, WHERE can I get me some? It breaks my heart that those last two went to waste. Sigh.
BOSSY says:
Eat some beltway Eggrolls for Bossy.
metalia says:
First of all, this was a fantastic and beautifully written post. Second, our favorite market sells fresh-from-the-oven hot apple cider donuts AND has a lady standing by with a tray of sample bits. I may or may not ask J to create a diversion each time we go, so that I may steal as many apple cider donut pieces as possible from the sample tray. As you know, I’m ALL about the free samples.
Dagny says:
Mankiw? I went to a university (in the 80s) in which the professors constantly showed us how supply-side economics (otherwise known as Reaganomics or trickle-down economics) didn’t even work on paper. Heck. Even Bush called it “voodoo economics.” Ahhhh. The joys of living in La Jolla. When you register to vote and do not select Republican, then they assume that you are a professor or a student.
Greg Mankiw. His book was one of my first Macro textbooks.
Gooseberried says:
HOT.APPLE.CIDER.DONUTS???!!!
That sounds glorious! I want!
How are you, dear? Feels like I haven’t spoken to you in a while. Although we’ve never spoken. But, you know.
Angella says:
Great post, my almost-BlogHer-roommate
Oh Angella, it would have been so lovely. Tears.
mike says:
Had to comment, even though it’s an “old” post for you but it just showed up on IB (nicely done, btw). And to say that DMU wouldn’t be so bad if the marginal cost (or purchase price) was also declining proportionately, resulting in a generally consistent welfare ratio. However, the value of the externality, i.e. the cost of one’s expanding ass in social welfare terms, possibly measured by the willingness to pay to avoid the increasing ass (Jenny Craig dues? Weight Watches fees?) may throw even the marginal declining cost out the window.
There. I’m all economic-ed out.
Still this was a good post. And I love to see economics brought into real life.