Here's a statistic that's sure to catch your attention: 43% of 1,000 adults surveyed about the recession said they believe the recession has has a positive impact on their lives.

Unfortunately, the materials don't go into why exactly people answered this way. But my guess is that folks who have been laid off or have had hours cut at work have had more time to spend with family or engaging in activities and hobbies they enjoy. And those of us who haven't been directly affected have probably seen or read enough about these tough times to realize that we have plenty to be thankful for.

The statistic was conducted by the consulting firms Context-Based Research Group and Carton Donofrio Partners.

The pair conducted a "You don't say?" research report last year called: Grounding the American Dream: A Cultural Study on the Future of Consumerism in a Changing Economy is definitely interesting, but not a light read as you digest your turkey dinner.

Here's a quick look at the five stages of grounding consumerism in their report:

  2. The Realization - Goodbye Homo Economicus. Stage One is clearly a moment of realization for consumers—the light bulb moment, the critical juncture when they come to understand how the larger economy intersects with their personal economy and what they will need to do to start making changes. Homo economicus—that side of a person that is consumed by consumerism and to whom consumers must say good-bye.
  3. Creating a new value equation: Moving from "Me" to "We." The third stage involves a movement toward emphasizing a new kind of value equation, one that moves from putting "me" first to putting "we" first. In this equation, the best financial and life decisions truly balance rational, emotional, and social needs.
  4. UnStuffing my life: Building a new consumer toolkit. By the fourth stage consumers get very practical and tangible as they literally start to clean the STUFF out of their lives. unSTUFFing is not just a one time deal either, but part of a new toolkit of skills that consumers can rely upon during and after the crisis to keep their lives on track.Walks the Talk: The Grounded Consumer does not sit on their new learning and skills but puts it all into action.
  5. Walking the Talk. Putting new skills into action. The final stage is about the change to becoming a Grounded Consumer. This new consumer cannot afford to just say one thing and do another. What this economic downturn has taught consumers is that they must understand their situation intimately and practice what they preach if they want to avoid another "downturn."

I spoke to Tracy Pilar Johnson, research director at Context Based Research Group. She said that instead of aggressively targeting consumers this year, retailers should be nurturing customers. Sounds like the antithesis of Black Friday, no?

She suggests that despite retailers wanting desperately to increase sales, the stores that will come out ahead in the long run won't be the ones that get you to spend more than you want to using merchandising tricks; they'll be the ones that play to our renewed focus on friends and family.

Think Wii, cooking gadgets, restaurant gift cards - gifts that help us to spend time together.

Interesting perspective as we head into the madness of Black Friday, huh?

And in case you're wondering whether I "do" Black Friday: Yes, the deals are tempting, but not that tempting for this line-phobic gal. I typically only join the competitors as an observer for work.

What do you think? Are you a more grounded consumer after all that's happened over the past year? Or do you think this is pure hogwash and that consumers don't care how retailers treat them so long as there are deals, deals, deals?


By the fourth stage consumers get very practical and tangible as they literally start to clean the STUFF out of
their lives. unSTUFFing is not just a one time deal either, but part of a new toolkit of skills that consumers can
rely upon during and after the crisis to keep their lives on track.
The final stage is about the change to becoming a Grounded Consumer. This new consumer cannot afford to
just say one thing and do another. What this economic downturn has taught consumers is that they must understand
their situation intimately and practice what they preach if they want to avoid another "downturn."