This is exactly why I buy presents. If I give my dad $250, he will not buy a smart thermostat. The economic utility to him of a smart thermostat is not that high versus, say, $250 in gasoline or food. He'll fill his tank every time. He does _want_ a smart thermostat - it's just not justifiable to him at the price point. At the same time, though he likes having food and gasoline, having more will not bring him joy per se.
That's where the gift giving comes in. I buy him a smart thermostat, effectively giving him license to have the nice object he cannot otherwise justify†. The economic destruction is the point.
That's where the gift giving comes in. I buy him a smart thermostat, effectively giving him license to have the nice object he cannot otherwise justify†. The economic destruction is the point.
†Based on a true story.