Good morning, friends. Here’s an eco-conundrum to ponder. A study published last month in the Journal of Marketing found shoppers who brought their own bags to the supermarket tended to buy more chips, cookies and other treats than those who didn’t.
How the goodness does this work?
The researchers found that the shoppers’ self-perceived righteousness ‘‘licensed’’ their self-indulgence.
Ha! I see this in action all the time. Possibly the worst case is the person who drinks bottled water (to avoid chemicals) then lights up a fag (seriously!).
Or health nuts who binge drink.
Prius drivers who no longer walk to the shops.
It all feeds into contemporary psychology theories that tell us that we have a “self-discipline muscle” that can get worn out if overworked.
So what is the gentle salve here? The mindset that can see us push through a little more consistently? I’d suggest it’s to