By Robbie Butler
Over coffee today, we spoke about the recent performance of the Republic of Ireland football team, and a colleague of mine reminded me of a concept I had been introduced to over two decades ago during my undergraduate degree - hedonic utility.
For those unfamiliar with the concept - I had to be re-educated - hedonic utility is a concept in economics and psychology that refers to the pleasure or happiness derived from the consumption or experience of a good or service. It's a component of overall satisfaction that individuals derive from consuming these goods or services.
For us as individuals, hedonic utility is the subjective enjoyment or satisfaction we gain from the things they consume or experience. For example, watching the Republic of Ireland football team. This concept is used to explain utility theory, consumer behavior and preferences and acknowledges that people make decisions not only based on rational calculations of utility but also on emotional and sensory experiences associated with consumption.
Watching Ireland play last night - and lose again at home - is something I have become all too familiar with in recent years. For many fans, this is the norm, and for some, it is all they have ever really known.
I was lucky enough to be born in the early 1980s and can recall Euro '88 and both World Cups in 1990 and 1994. The utility I derived from these events has never been matched. I would say this is acutely true of the tournaments in 1988 and 1990. The Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns probably explains why. The tournaments in 2002, 2012, and 2016 were fun but not the same (especially 2012).
I also think experiencing these events as a child adds to the enjoyment. The children supporting Ireland today will probably never experience this and may have to wait until they are young adults or even older before they can support Ireland at a World Cup. This is just like every generation born in Ireland prior to the 1970s.
So, the children of Ireland today are much like my parents' generation. Supporting an international team that finds it hard to qualify for major tournaments. The memories I have of places like Stuttgart, Hanover, Valletta, Genoa, Rome, Belfast, New York, and often Dublin cannot be lost. The hedonic utility I gained is almost immeasurable. It was great to be born in the early 1980s.
Over coffee today, we spoke about the recent performance of the Republic of Ireland football team, and a colleague of mine reminded me of a concept I had been introduced to over two decades ago during my undergraduate degree - hedonic utility.
For those unfamiliar with the concept - I had to be re-educated - hedonic utility is a concept in economics and psychology that refers to the pleasure or happiness derived from the consumption or experience of a good or service. It's a component of overall satisfaction that individuals derive from consuming these goods or services.
For us as individuals, hedonic utility is the subjective enjoyment or satisfaction we gain from the things they consume or experience. For example, watching the Republic of Ireland football team. This concept is used to explain utility theory, consumer behavior and preferences and acknowledges that people make decisions not only based on rational calculations of utility but also on emotional and sensory experiences associated with consumption.
Watching Ireland play last night - and lose again at home - is something I have become all too familiar with in recent years. For many fans, this is the norm, and for some, it is all they have ever really known.
I was lucky enough to be born in the early 1980s and can recall Euro '88 and both World Cups in 1990 and 1994. The utility I derived from these events has never been matched. I would say this is acutely true of the tournaments in 1988 and 1990. The Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns probably explains why. The tournaments in 2002, 2012, and 2016 were fun but not the same (especially 2012).
I also think experiencing these events as a child adds to the enjoyment. The children supporting Ireland today will probably never experience this and may have to wait until they are young adults or even older before they can support Ireland at a World Cup. This is just like every generation born in Ireland prior to the 1970s.
So, the children of Ireland today are much like my parents' generation. Supporting an international team that finds it hard to qualify for major tournaments. The memories I have of places like Stuttgart, Hanover, Valletta, Genoa, Rome, Belfast, New York, and often Dublin cannot be lost. The hedonic utility I gained is almost immeasurable. It was great to be born in the early 1980s.
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