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

submitted 10 months ago by delitomatoes@lemm.ee to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

69 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

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] tryptaminev@feddit.de 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

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.

[-] Sentrovasi@kbin.social 4 points 10 months 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.

this post was submitted on 14 Nov 2023

75 points (89.5% liked)

Asklemmy

43466 readers

1536 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy 🔍

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

Open-ended question
Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

Lemmyverse: community search
sub.rehab: maps old subreddits to fediverse options, marks official as such
!lemmy411@lemmy.ca: a community for finding communities

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS