The Sociological Explanation Behind Gift Giving

Marcel Mauss argues that gift exchange is an obligation where both the parties are obligated to give and receive at the same time. There is an obligation to receive hospitality and the obligation to give gifts in exchange for the so received hospitality. For example: when we stay over at a relative’s place, we are obligated to carry some form of a gift with us. If not so we are obligated to return the favour by helping out with chores and offering the same hospitality when they come to stay at our place. They are also obligated to provide hospitality and extend human courtesy or they will be looked down upon in the family.

So, here there is an obligation to be a kind host as well as an obligation to be a decent guest. Another example: If a friend offers to treat me when I don’t have money and even if that friend doesn’t accept anything in return, I will be obligated to compensate that through some form of reciprocity. So if that friend borrows money from me the next time and even though I do not have much money as compared to that friend, I’ll be obligated to not ask for the so borrowed money despite my economic condition.

Mauss’s primary argument was that the social relations function on reciprocity. He argued that generosity is an obligation. If a person gifts an object worth thousand rupees the receiver is obligated to give something back worth the same price or more. Being generous is not an option here but an obligation. When Howard gets married in Big Bang theory, he gets his groomsmen a comic worth hundred dollars and Sheldon having gotten him a gravy boat worth eighty dollars gives him twenty dollars in cash and points out that most gift giving works on reciprocity. Another example of reciprocity in contemporary times is that in social media: If a friend follows me on Instagram I will be obligated to do the same. There has been instances where this virtual form of friendship pays a toll in reality. If the obligation is not full-filled it may be seen as a personal feud amongst the two friends. Breaking of friendship is also denoted by un-friending someone on Facebook or unfollowing someone on Instagram. Here the obligation and reciprocity are demonstrated in the virtual world. Hence, this is one of the examples which can be used to demonstrate Mauss's theory.