Fortune-Telling as a Leisure Activity

Abstract

The growing fortune-telling practices in Izmir, Turkey, represent a remarkable leisure consumption trend in the modern age that values rational thinking. Considering the lack of research about the topic in leisure studies, this study sheds light to the inspirations of consumers for seeking fortune-tellers and how fortune-telling experience affect them. Through a qualitative inquiry, 15 in-depth interviews were conducted with participants from various backgrounds among whom 12 were female consumers and 3 fortune-tellers. The findings show that many people seek the services of fortune-tellers for fun and socializing and finding hope for a better future while others substitute this experience with therapy. We find that fortune-telling as a leisure activity contributes to consumers' well-being positively.