Having lost this signaling tool, we are that much poorer.
Are we? Signaling value is both a blessing and a curse, and my impression is that it is generally zero-sum. Personally, I consider myself *richer* when a mundane activity or lifestyle choice loses its signaling association, for it means I am now less restricted in applying it.
I think you bring up a good point, but rather than being zero-sum, signaling can be either socially beneficial or detrimental compared to no signaling, depending on the details of the situation, so in theory removing a signaling tool can make us either richer or poorer. I’m not sure if economists have a consensus on whether signaling is typically good or bad, and would be curious if anyone knows this.
You may be interpreting “signalling” in a more specific way than I intended. You might be thinking of the kind of signalling that is largely restricted to status jockeying in zero-sum status games.
But I was using “signaling tool” in a very general sense. I just mean that you can use the signaling tool to convey information, and that you and your intended recipients have common knowledge about what your signal means. In that way, it’s basically just a piece of language.
As with any piece of language, the fact that it signals something does place restrictions on what you can do.
For example, you can’t yell “FIRE!” unless you are prepared to deal with certain consequences. But if the utterance “FIRE!” had no meaning, you would be freer, in a sense, to say it. If the mood struck you, you could burst out with a loud shout of “FIRE!” without causing a big commotion and making a bunch of people really angry at you.
But you would also lack a convenient tool that reliably brings help when you need it. This is a case where I think that the value of the signal heavily outweighs the restrictions that the signal’s existence places on your actions.
Are we? Signaling value is both a blessing and a curse, and my impression is that it is generally zero-sum. Personally, I consider myself *richer* when a mundane activity or lifestyle choice loses its signaling association, for it means I am now less restricted in applying it.
I think you bring up a good point, but rather than being zero-sum, signaling can be either socially beneficial or detrimental compared to no signaling, depending on the details of the situation, so in theory removing a signaling tool can make us either richer or poorer. I’m not sure if economists have a consensus on whether signaling is typically good or bad, and would be curious if anyone knows this.
You may be interpreting “signalling” in a more specific way than I intended. You might be thinking of the kind of signalling that is largely restricted to status jockeying in zero-sum status games.
But I was using “signaling tool” in a very general sense. I just mean that you can use the signaling tool to convey information, and that you and your intended recipients have common knowledge about what your signal means. In that way, it’s basically just a piece of language.
As with any piece of language, the fact that it signals something does place restrictions on what you can do.
For example, you can’t yell “FIRE!” unless you are prepared to deal with certain consequences. But if the utterance “FIRE!” had no meaning, you would be freer, in a sense, to say it. If the mood struck you, you could burst out with a loud shout of “FIRE!” without causing a big commotion and making a bunch of people really angry at you.
But you would also lack a convenient tool that reliably brings help when you need it. This is a case where I think that the value of the signal heavily outweighs the restrictions that the signal’s existence places on your actions.