Thanks for the reasonable reply, and sorry for assuming things in your initial question. I definitely see everything in a much more social context. I rarely ma

Thanks for the reasonable reply, and sorry for assuming things in your initial question. I definitely see everything in a much more social context. I rarely make any decision thinking merely about the immediate short-term individual costs and gains. I can only technically but not sympathetically grasp how people can have self-centered, myopic mindsets, but obviously enough people do. I frequently fund myself having to bring up the idea that pro-social thinking is even a concept to consider. Understanding that everything I personally experience is colored by my pro-social mindset, I feel really differently (positively) about places like Trader Joe's that refuse not only to have loyalty cards but even to have loss-leader discount sales and other such bull crap. The relationship between Trader Joe's and their customers is fundamentally more respectful and honest than these other stores. Incidentally, I don't mind the sale discounts at places like Grocery Outlet because they are actually based on overstock and so actually pricing to supply-and-demand as opposed to playing some game with prices. Their highlighting of how much you "saved" over "other stores' prices" is annoying though. Finally, I happen to know that many of the discount sales at other stores are actually forced upon them by outside brands. Brands are pushing their names and provide product at a discount to the store with the requirement that they promote a sale, all to drive the brand recognition etc. and that's part of why Trader Joe's is free from that crap (by not emphasizing outside brand names).