A gift is viewed as an expression and maintenance of relationships, whereby the objects (gifts) do not hold any monetary value but rather is an expression of sentiment and cultural love. The ideology of the gift in Euro-America according to (Carrier, 1990, p.19-37) is a “reflection of socio-economic situation in which people find themselves in different economic significances of productive and familial relation.”
Gifts create and maintain social groups in society, Mauss speaks about the different manner in which gift exchange in Polynesia, Melanesia and North West America. In Samoa there is a system of contractual gifts confined to events such as marriage, childbirth, circumsion, sickness, puberty, funeral ceremonies and trade. Mauss also …show more content…
commodity’ Andrej Rus differentiates between the terms commodity –exchange and non-commodity (gift) exchange through an anthropological perspective. Rus defines commodity-exchange as an exchange of impersonal, alienable, with an economic value that is not subordinated and anonymous items that takes place between strangers that does not require lasting social obligation or personal relationship between the exchangers. Mauss made a distinction between commodities and gifts based on Karl Marx’s work whereby he defines non-commodity (gift) exchange as an “exchange of inalienable things between transactors who are in a state of reciprocal dependence”. A gift being affiliated with the elements of the embodiment of sentiment, non-monetary and utility based, free and unconstrained; a gift is questionable on whether or not it is …show more content…
According to (Caplow, 1984) the rituals and process followed in gift exchange and gift giving are eminently based on parlance on sediment feelings and rules. In the Christmas gift giving research by Caplow it is indicated that society does play a role in gift regulation, as humans we have accepted the rules that society has set. The reciprocity rule which is gift exchange states that everyone gives and receives thus questioning a gift as an altruistic object. Other types of norms around Christmas rules by Caplow
Gifts create and maintain social groups in society, Mauss speaks about the different manner in which gift exchange in Polynesia, Melanesia and North West America. In Samoa there is a system of contractual gifts confined to events such as marriage, childbirth, circumsion, sickness, puberty, funeral ceremonies and trade. Mauss also …show more content…
commodity’ Andrej Rus differentiates between the terms commodity –exchange and non-commodity (gift) exchange through an anthropological perspective. Rus defines commodity-exchange as an exchange of impersonal, alienable, with an economic value that is not subordinated and anonymous items that takes place between strangers that does not require lasting social obligation or personal relationship between the exchangers. Mauss made a distinction between commodities and gifts based on Karl Marx’s work whereby he defines non-commodity (gift) exchange as an “exchange of inalienable things between transactors who are in a state of reciprocal dependence”. A gift being affiliated with the elements of the embodiment of sentiment, non-monetary and utility based, free and unconstrained; a gift is questionable on whether or not it is …show more content…
According to (Caplow, 1984) the rituals and process followed in gift exchange and gift giving are eminently based on parlance on sediment feelings and rules. In the Christmas gift giving research by Caplow it is indicated that society does play a role in gift regulation, as humans we have accepted the rules that society has set. The reciprocity rule which is gift exchange states that everyone gives and receives thus questioning a gift as an altruistic object. Other types of norms around Christmas rules by Caplow