Pricing/Capitalism - John Galt
Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 16:24:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: stickman at arcticmail dot com
Subject: Pricing/Capitalism - John Galt
I read the "cost of CD's" thread and almost fell out of my chair when
somebody suggested the government should regulate CD prices <Shudder>. I
probably wouldn't have been shocked if one of those "normal" people who
wear Planet Hollywood sweatshirts in the mall said something about wanting
the government to reach farther into the capitalist process, but to hear it
in a forum like this really surprised me.
I am not condemning anybody's right to express that opinion, but given the
way the US government has decided that Microsoft should be broken up
because they make too much money (read successful in a free-market
economy), or that the FCC should compel Time-Warner to carry content (ABC)
that they had decided against carrying, the idea of more government
regulation is kind of scary. Why complain about monopolies or high prices?
If buyers think the product is worth the price they will buy. If not they
won't. So it is with the Collectors' series - people will buy it or they
won't. The unspoken illusion we seem to be laboring under is that
capitalism is fair. It is not. If it were fair we would be saying, "From
each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs" and that
is not capitalism. If DGM says the CDs cost 100, 120, 150, 200 USD then
they do. Buy it or don't, but please don't ask the USSA's ministry of
culture to set prices. (USSA is not a typo)
Stickman
P.S. Anybody ever read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand? If you want to
experience something eerie, change the name Hank Rearden to Bill Gates and
Rearden Metal to Microsoft. It is kind of spooky - especially when you
consider that the book was written in 1957.
Mike Stok