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There was a story about Ayn Rand's sister. She came to visit in New York, and was bewildered by the vast array of toothpaste in a local grocery store. She was
by chasil 4y ago
There was a story about Ayn Rand's sister.
She came to visit in New York, and was bewildered by the vast array of toothpaste in a local grocery store.
She was so accustomed to shortages, and expected queues, that she could not accept the immediacy and availability of commerce in the U.S.
She did not stay long.
- rasz 4y agoThere seems to be a common theme to those. When Ceausescu visited NY he and his stupid wife (huge scientific fraud story on its own, including lot of reputable western universities going along with it) were sure Macy was just a show stocked specifically for them. I seem to remember him reacting by ordering to open a store just for show to western dignitaries/press. https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/22/archives/ceausescu-gets-90minute-macy-tour.html https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/22/archives/ceausescu-gets-9... https://paperpile.com/blog/elena-ceausescu-scientist-fraud/ https://paperpile.com/blog/elena-ceausescu-scientist-fraud/ Similar story with Yeltsin visit to a small local grocery mart in Texas in 1989.
- euroderf 4y agoI've read a longer story that that grocery visit gave Yeltsin quite a eureka moment.
- bee_rider 4y agoHe’d been shifting in the direction of liberal reform for a while. I’m sure he was happy to (over)emphasize the degree to which he was shocked. Not to cast doubt on his overall goal there, liberal economics clearly are pretty dang effective!
- Prbeek 4y agoPeople who conquered space but running an economy was where they drew the line.
- kwere 4y agothe economy was designed to service the politburo elites, the army, and (maybe) the capital cities. It kinda worked for its intended purposes, a semi-artisanal system, squashed by bureaucracy and political hires dictacted by realpolitik.
- jjtheblunt 4y agoI'm born in the United States and had a Russian girlfriend for a year+ in grad school: same thing, went to modern supermarket and she was freaked out with choices overload. I understood when she described it, but it was something i had tuned out unknowingly since being a little kid.