Posted by: Ambrosia October 9, 2015
Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility and Relationships
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I came across the theory of Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility was when I was in grade 11. Though I say that economics never excited me, since I had a very good teacher, I enjoyed the topics at that time. I was very fascinated by this one theory; Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility. This theory states that when you are consuming a product, lets say a ham sandwich, the first time you have it, you will have utmost level of satisfaction, keeping others things like like pop soda constant. But with every other consumption of the sandwich, you start enjoying it more and more and there will be a point where the satisfaction is maximum. But after that point, you like it or not, there is a downfall, a decline in the utility and satisfaction.

I haven't looked back and read this chapters in years. But somehow the theory is stuck in my head. Once in a while I bring it out in my conversations and my friends tease me with my nerdity.

I have been stuck at home for few days now. Willingly or unwillingly, the crisis of the nation is hitting everyone in all possible ways. Yes, I dont have fuel and I go out in a very limited manner. I do a lot of self analysis, pondering, wondering, star gazing, moon walking....LOL....but in all this I happen to do some comparison of relationships.

This is my theory of Diminishing Marginal Utility of a relationship.

I am sure we all have felt the butterflies in the stomach kind of feeling when we start to crusade into a friendship we all wanted. That first SMS you get, the first night long phone/skype/viber/ blah blah conversation, the first date or outing...everything excites you. You try to be extra nice to the other person and you want to impress. You say things to make her happy. Everything looks perfect. Every time you meet, its fun, its happiness and you want to do it more and more. It goes on for sometime and there will be a time ( maybe in few weeks, months or if lucky years) the utility will start dropping down. You don't feel the same excitement. The person is not special anymore. They are an ordinary part of your daily life.

I normally try to keep that excitement going in the friendship but when the other person is not in the same boat, it actually is very difficult to pull up that relationship. Changes are inevitable, but those changes are suppose to better the relation not discolour it. For me some things never go out of fashion. A sweet message, a call just to say I love you, an extra effort to keep it fresh and not letting that first spark die but to flame everything up with that. There is no effortless friendship or relationship. You have to give in to get back. If you stop giving her....trust me there will be a point when people become empty and there have nothing more to give....They move on.

(I am a woman and I strongly believe in equality. But I had to address in someway, I am referring it as him.This works with both genders and I request the reader should not take it as an offense)

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