Children Quote by Jonathan Franzen
““You can all supply your own favorite, most nauseating examples of the commodification of love. Mine include the wedding industry, TV ads that feature cute young children or the giving of automobiles as Christmas presents, and the particularly grotesque equation of diamond jewelry with everlasting devotion. The message, in each case, is that if you love somebody you should buy stuff. A related phenomenon is the ongoing transformation, courtesy of Facebook, of the verb 'to like' from a state of mind to an action that you perform with your computer mouse: from a feeling to an assertion of consumer choice. And liking, in general, is commercial culture's substitution for loving.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Commodification of Love” by Jonathan Franzen, 2012
Love is increasingly expressed through purchases and digital actions, turning affection into consumer behavior.
In simple terms: Love is shown by buying things and clicking “like”.
Key Takeaway
Recognize genuine affection beyond material gifts.
Themes
consumerism
technology
relationships
culture
media
Mood
critical
reflective
skeptical
Type
observational
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- wedding planning
- advertising
- holiday gifting
- social media engagement
- relationship counseling
Key Concepts
commodification
symbolic exchange
digital interaction
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate genuine love from consumer-driven gestures?
- Can digital “likes” replace real emotional intimacy?
A Different Perspective
Commercial pressure can dilute authentic emotional connections.
![“[T]hese last few days where I've moped around damn near depressed for real, because of people who do not exist. Not really. I can buy them Christmas presents, but there is no way to send them. Sometimes I feel like I should be able to walk into the next room and there they will be, but they won't…” quote by Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c19/laurell-k-hamilton-199_able_t-hese-last-few-days-where-i-ve-moped-ar_73321.jpg)
