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Comment by mulmen

8 days ago

The unaccounted externality is the wasted energy to create a thing and destroy it without ever using it.

This may be profit maximizing because it maintains the exclusivity of the brand.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good

And you presume to know better than they do what to do with that energy? Do you think you have a general right to override people's resource allocation decisions when you believe they're being wasteful?

  • 1. In this case, not using the energy at all would have been better. 2. The legislature of a sovereign polity would have, and be able to delegate, that right. If and when the legislature should make use of that right is a political question.

  • > Do you think you have a general right to override people's resource allocation decisions when you believe they're being wasteful?

    Me personally? No, of course not. But I do think our government has the responsibility to govern.