Motivation In Christmas Gifts

Toys for Tots, Family Christmas, White Elephant.  Each of these involves Christmas gifts.  And each involves different motivations.  But what exactly makes them different?

In her book Meaning in Life and Why It Matters, philosopher Susan Wolf addresses each of these different motivations.  We often assume a false dichotomy of motivations, she argues.  While self-interest and morality do motivate us, these two motivations are not exhaustive.  One could argue that when I buy gifts for family and friends I am acting in my own self-interest, but that doesn’t seem to capture the full picture or true motivation.  This third type of motivation involves love. I don’t use my (nonexistent) income to buy my family and friends presents purely out of my own self-interest or some normative duty (although sometimes it does feel like an obligation…).  I do it out of love.  And this type of motivation fosters meaning.  As Wolf writes, “meaning arises from loving objects worthy of love and engaging with them in a positive way.”  This conception incorporates subjective and objective components. I have not achieved meaning by loving to watch tv for 9 hours a day. The object of my subjective love must pass some objective test of worth.

Without delving any further into her theory or possible objections, let us return to our initial list.  One can give to Toys for Tots either out of love or a feeling of moral duty.  Gifts given to family usually represent Wolf’s middle category, although sometimes they may also seem to be motivated by some normative duty to one’s family or friends.  White Elephant is as self-interested as it gets (the idea for this article came from watching my Sunday School kids playing a particularly self-interested game of White Elephant…developing intricate strategies, hawking their wares, making elaborate trades…it was quite the microcosm of capitalism).

Christmas is a time when many search for meaning.  It can be the best of times for those who think they have it, and the worst of times for those who feel meaningless.  But the take-away here is that whether you believe that Jesus came down to Earth to die for our sins or not, this season should be about love.  Wherever your search for meaning takes you, may it always bring you back to love.