Government Hired a Firm for $13.6M to Hire Recruits. It Hired 2

Re:Government Hired a Firm for $13.6M to Hire Recruits. It H... by conanbatt on Friday December 14, 2018 @09:50AM (#18681148)

The majority of gifts, and thus their aggregate, are worth less than their cost to the receiver.

This is because if the receiver can afford it and thought it was good, he would already have it. Because he doesn't, getting it as a gift is worse than getting money.

Alternative economic interpretation: if you gave someone the choice between item X and money worth X, the gift is good only if the recipient would choose item. If they were to choose the money, then they are always short-changed.

Gifting is economically inefficient.

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Re:Government Hired a Firm for $13.6M to Hire Recruits. It H... by gmadsen on Friday December 14, 2018 @10:22AM (#18681390)

I think you are missing the sentimental aspect of gift giving. It is not purely price/utility value. Emotions attached to gift giving have value for both the giver and the receiver.

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Re:Government Hired a Firm for $13.6M to Hire Recruits. It H... by conanbatt on Friday December 14, 2018 @11:20AM (#18681921)

I feel pretty good giving money away as well!

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Re:Government Hired a Firm for $13.6M to Hire Recruits. It H... by Firadeoclus on Monday December 17, 2018 @07:55AM (#18698647)

That may be so, but it doesn't generalize to the whole population.

> This is because if the receiver can afford it and thought it was good, he would already have it.

Assuming they a) know about it and its qualities, b) know how to get it, c) can do so without hassle, and d) truly know what they want and need.

Then there are people who hate to choose, but trust certain others to make a good choice for them.

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