I tend to listen into people's conversations. During this one, overheard at IKEA this morning in the checkout queue, two women in their late twenties/early thirties touched on issues of gift giving, shopping (1), style, entrepreneurialism, employment, globalisation, and education/training. So many themes, issues and topics get packed into everyday conversations. This is what they said:
'I got some gift vouchers for Marks this Christmas. £30. I got something for £28 and they can't even give you two coins in return. What can you buy for £2 at Marks?'
'Well, you could put it towards a pair of knickers.'
'It's too expensive there. Mind you, there's some lovely stuff. Much better than it used to be.'
'It was so frumpy'
'It was that man who went from Next to George at Asda and then to M & S'
'What's his name?'
'Erm. George. It's really turned around.'
(...) 'They don't have enough staff here do they?'
'And they change so fast. Not the management. They work them hard here.'
(...) 'There's no money in IT now. A friend was telling me. The bottoms dropped out.'
'It's all gone to India'
'There aren't enough skills. You can't get a plumber, builder or plasterer when you need one.'
'They say they're setting up new apprenticeships.' (3)
(1) For more on shopping see: Miller, D. (1998), A Theory of Shopping, Cambridge, Polity.
(2) I heard on Radio 4 the other day that the exchange of tokens and money is becoming an increasingly popular form of gift-giving in the United States. And, when I think about it, among my family members as well. Are we harder to please, more uncertain about the needs of others, devolving choice, or more honest about not wanting to repeat unwanted exchanges of yesteryear? For a simple introduction to gifts, exchange and reciprocity see chapter 3 in: Joy, H. (1999), An Introduction to Social Anthropology. Other People's Worlds, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Palgrave.
(3) For more on modern apprenticeships go to: Learning and Skills Council