Gendernomics: Macro
The Gendernomics macro essay uses economic concepts to describe dating and perceived attractiveness. Its framework connects time allocation, supply and demand, valuation, and reflexivity through the author’s concept of sexual market value.
THE IDEA
The Gendernomics macro essay treats dating as a market and uses sexual market value, or SMV, to describe perceived desirability. This is the essay’s organizing analogy.
The author uses the production possibilities frontier to compare investments in SMV, such as career development and fitness. Supply and demand, inflation, deflation, and price elasticity describe how competition and preferences might affect that perceived value.
Value theory and the rational-actor model frame a discussion of apparently inconsistent choices. Marginal utility is used to ask how a man should allocate his time among activities intended to increase his attractiveness.
The essay then brings these ideas together through reflexivity: being perceived as desirable may itself influence how others respond. It argues that social controls affect the operation of the dating market and encourages men to move toward the upper part of its proposed SMV distribution. These are claims within the author’s framework; the excerpt provides no measurements of that distribution or method for assigning an individual a value.
When to use it
A man choosing between career advancement and physical fitness to improve his SMV, analyzing opportunity cost.
Examining the essay’s claim that social controls affect supply and demand in dating markets.
Evaluating the impact of inflation (e.g., increased competition from media) on perceived SMV of different traits.
Using rational actor assumptions to predict behavior in online dating platforms.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Time Investment Decision
Using the essay’s framework, a man compares spending 2 hours developing a skill with spending 2 hours at the gym. He asks which activity would better serve his dating goals and what other benefits each offers. The model supplies a way to frame the choice, rather than a measured return on SMV.
Reflexivity in Social Perception
When a man achieves high SMV through career success, reflexivity may amplify his perceived attractiveness, as others start to view him as more desirable simply because he is already perceived as desirable.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How can the concept of marginal utility help you prioritize your time investments to maximize your sexual market value?
In what ways does reflexivity distort your perception of your own value in the sexual marketplace?
What assumptions about other people’s preferences underlie your efforts to become more attractive? How could you check them?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Rolf Dobelli - The Art of Thinking Clearly-Harper Paperbacks (2014)