Phenomenon describing the unfounded resistance to spending money on minor indulgences, even though one’s personal wealth and prosperity allow for it. While actual purchasing power has increased immensely over the last 50 years, deep, almost generational convictions remain about ‘exuberant’ versus ‘responsible’ behaviour. PROSPERITY DENIAL applies to small luxuries such as gourmet coffees on-the-go, taking a taxi when it’s pouring down, purchasing premium seats for a classical concert, or buying the entire work of a new favourite writer.

To do the math: the cost of a cup of excellent coffee, at 3 USD/Euro, represents roughly 0.0048% of median US annual income. Sipping a latte once a week then represents 0.25% on a yearly basis. Which leaves 99.75% for other necessities. Median income in Western Europe is a bit lower, but still high enough to disregard dents in disposable income when occasionally choosing a taxi over getting wet and miserable.

Therefore, marketers of minor indulgences should work on a change in attitude to make sufferers of PROSPERITY DENIAL understand that to treat oneself now and then is neither a sin nor a recipe for bankruptcy. Perhaps this is even more relevant during economic down-turns, when life's little luxuries provide considerable comfort at a negligible cost. If a behavioural move away from PROSPERITY DENIAL succeeds (never easy!), then the way is paved for introducing more ‘Snobmoddities’ (discussed later in this newsletter). May TRENDWATCHING.COM humbly suggest: ENJOY!