On Wed, 19 May 2004 15:59:07 GMT, Mark & Shauna wrote:

Frogleg wrote:

You clearly understand the economics, yet say the marketplace does
*not* drive production. It does, whether you like it or not. There are
more people who want low-cost goods and food than those who are highly
discriminating and can afford top dollar for perceived top quality.

I dont believe the marketplace (consumer) -solely- drives production. In
todays climate if you cant see that people purchase what they are fed
(and heavily marketed I might add) you are blind. The simple fact of the
matter is that in the vast majority of cases the consumer "really"
doesnt make his or her decision on their purchases, for the most part
the marketers and manufacturers make it for them.

Oh, dear. This is getting very long. I will try to be brief and leave
out the analogies. I don't see a great deal of marketing directed at
sterring me away from organic products and toward those which are the
result of more industrialized processes. Could you supply an example
please? I note that one ad in today's paper has "bananas: 3lb/$1" and
"organically grown bananas: $0.69/lb" -- both without editorializing.

Think of this in direct relation to your statement to the effect that
"when people can afford better quality they will buy it".

I didn't say that. I said the market for high-priced goods and
services is smaller than that for the lower-priced variety. I made no
attempt to predict the shopping habits of the privileged.

For the first
time in the history of consumer goods we have a parking lot where on a
_daily_ basis a Lexus or Mercedes SUV will be parked right next to a
1972 Ford barely passing inspection. You walk inside the store and there
is the woman driving the Lexus and the woman driving the 75' Ford
shopping in the same isle, buying the same product

So there should be different stores for rich and poor? I'm missing
your point.

This could be argued that it _still_ shows that it all falls back to the
"market" hence the consumer but many forces shape the way the consumer
thinks and more importantly acts. This is what marketing is at its core,
which is in large part driving the currnet mindset. Your not good at
marketing if you can only get someone to think a certain way, you have
to get them to act on that thought.

AFAIK, the Jolly Green Giant doesn't practice thought control.
Consumers base their buying decisions on a myriad of factors. For
those with less money, the choices are more limited. And a high income
has little to do with taste or discrimination -- only with the number
of styles/choices that are possible.

You *do* understand. The marketplace is driving your own practices.

I understand that the consumer, through decisions made for them, is
driving the marketplace.

How do you keep the Evil Ones from molding *your* thoughts?

You can't change tastes by legislation or by telling people they
*should* be more discriminating.

It has been fun, I could talk about this all
day(s) and always learn a thing or two, or three.

Yes. I learned something about no-till. It's an interesting concept.