Comments on: Monday Links: July 21st, 2008 http://tropophilia.com/2008/07/21/monday-links-july-21st-2008/ the love of change Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:01:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Taylor http://tropophilia.com/2008/07/21/monday-links-july-21st-2008/#comment-1528 Taylor Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:05:11 +0000 http://tropophilia.com/?p=380#comment-1528 I understand what you're saying but I'm not sure I buy it. I think this type of campaign (that Ezra also wrote about) is very effective: http://pbjcampaign.org/ I understand what you’re saying but I’m not sure I buy it. I think this type of campaign (that Ezra also wrote about) is very effective:

http://pbjcampaign.org/

]]> By: Ashish http://tropophilia.com/2008/07/21/monday-links-july-21st-2008/#comment-1525 Ashish Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:20:16 +0000 http://tropophilia.com/?p=380#comment-1525 I'm all for effectively making meat more expensive, but I'm afraid Klein overstates the extent to which consumer choices would track cost in this case. Economists speak of Giffen goods, which are items that become even more sought after when prices rise because consumers regard the items as indispensable. Most Americans regard meat as an indispensable part of their diet. Indeed, the idea of having a full belly without eating meat or other animal products--Klein's point about the cost of meat not being proportionate to the required resources and externalities applies equally well to dairy products and eggs--would probably strike most people as an ascetic's dystopian project. So how would we expect them to respond to a rise in the cost of animal products? By forgoing the healthier items in their shopping cart and deploying that money towards the purchase of the now pricier meat, dairy products, and eggs, of course. I’m all for effectively making meat more expensive, but I’m afraid Klein overstates the extent to which consumer choices would track cost in this case.

Economists speak of Giffen goods, which are items that become even more sought after when prices rise because consumers regard the items as indispensable. Most Americans regard meat as an indispensable part of their diet. Indeed, the idea of having a full belly without eating meat or other animal products–Klein’s point about the cost of meat not being proportionate to the required resources and externalities applies equally well to dairy products and eggs–would probably strike most people as an ascetic’s dystopian project. So how would we expect them to respond to a rise in the cost of animal products? By forgoing the healthier items in their shopping cart and deploying that money towards the purchase of the now pricier meat, dairy products, and eggs, of course.

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