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Why does the value of things in dollars not make sense? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

67 comments fedilink hide all child comments

This is difficult to explain. I can't figure out a rule of thumb for spending, the prices of things fluctuate so quickly it's confusing. Here are some examples

A house, prices are out of control, inventory is low, sellers are greedy. I'm feeling not only unable to afford it but finding lack of value in inflated prices
Computer parts. Relatively cheap compared to pandemic but more expensive than before but also much cheaper than 90s/00s, but still could be cheaper
TWS earbuds, completely different ball game from regular earbuds, disposable electronics.
Food. Nights out with drinks now sometimes cost me more than 2 & 3, but seem like just keeping up with inflation

The prices range from 100,000s to 100s, but some are fleeting, some semi permanent, some last a long time. I also spend hours researching prices of parts and waiting for sales, but spending the same amount on social events in an instant

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Studying economics brings little help.

First of all, the models are seemingly easy, when you compare the preference for two goods, or assume a market with a true polypol, but get incomprehensibly complex, the moment you start looking at multiple goods, typical supply chains of today and most importantly, that most markets aren't polypols, many goods aren't substituable etc.

But even assuming you have a great model understanding of things, you simply lack the information. That is also the reason, why no single actor can consistently beat the stock market, aside from shear luck (which tends to run out eventually). There will always be so much more to the picture, that you don't know, than what you know.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

To be fair if the goal is understanding why, then even things like goods not being substitutable are useful for understanding. The OP wanted to know why, not know how to predict them accurately. The original suggestion to learn economics would teach them that.