Re: [tlug] Economics lessons [was: HDD Reliability]

["Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon" <ronfaxon@example.com>]

>What do you mean by "overcharging"?  Actually, they're _undercharging_
>almost everybody, since almost everybody would be willing to pay more
>than they actually did.  (Think about how you feel about selling a
>used car, say.  Did you ever overcharge anyone?  Of course not!)
>
Basically I meant to say that there can be - often isn't, but can be a 
balance to things.  The Big-M does not operate in a vacuum.  By 
"overcharge" I meant that they take in considerably more money than they 
need to provide a decent profit for the employees of the company.  
Excuse me for saying so - but comparing a mega-production of identical 
items that are quite cheap per unit to a single used car is a very bad 
analogy.  Even so - I have indeed seen overcharging for used cars.  As 
one example - a former roommate charged a hapless man a thousand dollars 
for a car whose real market value was more like 300.  It was a piece of 
junk.  With enough sophistry, any action by any individual or 
organization can be justified - in fact, it's a curse of the world we 
live in that there isn't enough respect for the truth.  And... how do 
you know I didn't overcharge anyone?  I personally remember each of the 
used cars I sold and don't think I sold any for an unreasonable price, 
but it troubles me that you grant me automatic immunity from 
overcharging for the purpose of your analogy.  Be it true that the Big-M 
is God's gift to mankind, then God help us all, for a deteriorating 
respect for  the truth is a path to ever more troubled times.  No 
overcharging, no bad, no evil... be happy.  Sophistry - the curse of us 
of all!

PS  In rereading the used car bit that I'm responding to - I remembered 
something. I sold a used guitar once for the same price that I had 
bought it new and the buyer - had he known - could have bought new 
himself.  Was I happy to get the money at the time?  Yes.  Do I now feel 
like a dishonest used car salesman and am I ashamed of myself for 
overcharging him?  Yes!  It haunts me still - after decades - that I did 
that.  I still remember our conversation - he trusted me, I played a 
part as though I were a movie extra, and he paid me more than he should 
have.  If I had a time machine, would I go back and take a little less?  
Yes!  Again - with sophistry - you can "prove" anything, but I still say 
that, in actual fact, there is indeed overcharging in this world, and 
while telling some people to just "be happy" is enough if all they need 
is an attitude change, it's not a 100% effective for all people in 100% 
of all situations in 100% of all times.  A constant search for the truth 
- a truth beyond sophistry - is something we should never give up on.