Conspicuous Anti-Consumption (ft. Tejvir Sekhon)

In this first episode of the Slow Reckoning Podcast, host Amarinder Sidhu speaks with Tejvir Sekhon, a professor of Marketing at West Washington University, about using "dark arts of marketing" for social good.Tejvir explains his research focus on consumer wellbeing, moral decision making, and sustainable consumption, and discusses his work on “conspicuous anti-consumption,” including how brands like Patagonia can make reduced consumption socially legible. They also unpack status signaling beyond wealth, the role of choice architecture in everyday decisions, and how marketing and money shape preferences in markets and politics.The episode gets into Tejvir's poetic reflections on consumer dilemmas and parenting pressures, from Halloween candy and kids’ devices to competitive parenting, Costco waste, and longevity marketing, ending with optimism about business students seeking change from within.00:00 Welcome and Introductions01:00 Marketing for Social Good04:11 Conspicuous Anti Consumption08:29 Patagonia and Profit Logic12:30 Poetic Consumer Dilemmas16:42 Choice Sets and Blame19:17 Ads Politics and Preferences23:00 Parenting in a Yes World27:44 Costco Bulk and Waste29:25 Longevity Market Solutions33:30 Scaling Sustainable Marketing38:31 Hope in Future Marketers40:11 Closing Thanks and Wrap This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amarindersidhu.substack.com