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This seems to be rooted in a generalized problem which I'll hastily call the conscious abuse of polite understanding, or abuse of economic consensus. Another po

This seems to be rooted in a generalized problem which I'll hastily call the conscious abuse of polite understanding, or abuse of economic consensus. Another possible rubric for this, a bit more sensationalized, would be "destructive precision". A simple example would be the hollowing-out of conventional terms everyone believes they hold the same settled definition of, such as "a flight." Instead of transacting according to what consensus suggests "a flight" meant a decade or two ago, when most would have expected this term to have thoroughly matured to the point of semantic stability, instead delivering against the most contextually minimized, stripped down interpretation of the term possible that still qualifies as valid, and attaching fees to all of the other attendant associations of value that used to be included in the scope of general consensus of the term.

SI_Rob 2y ago
So, a pricing exploit based on arbitrage between the rigorous description (and enforcement) of payment for a service in one direction, and the comparatively un-policed description of the service delivered, in the other? Perhaps the lawyering class wants everyone to either suffer under their miserable penchant for overweening semantic nitpicking, or suffer it along with them.
- ChainOfFools 2y ago
  A description versus price equation, where there's a lot of variables on one side and only one on the other, does seem to be the model. I guess I would add that it may only be a Salient as it is with respect to certain things like flights, because there are a couple of outstanding counter examples like cell phones and and automobiles which seem to exhibit the exact opposite trend. A deeper analysis might reveal that there is a cycle at at work here, wherein the initial novelty of a prodict or service which is destined to become a commodity, means there is not yet a strong set of expectations about what the service or product is "supposed" to provide. distinction in the market has to come from adding context to that essentially commodity utility. But later on some consumers begin to recognize that some of the additional context may not be strictly necessary or offer a value to them and would prefer compartmentalization of the core product as distinct from its value-added variants. When flights were a comparative novelty, or at least a novelty in different market segments at different times, distinction between products was through different levels and configurations of service or features rather than price. This may still be the phase of the product cycle that cell phones (setting aside the fairly stable tiers of product within that category) are in. It's harder to make as direct across the comparison with cars as they are older than both air travel and mobile phones, and because of all the regulation that enforces standardization of non-optional features related to safety.
deleted 2y ago
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lotsofpulp 2y ago
On the other hand, I recall paying roughly $100 per hour of one way flight time in the 2000s, and I still pay near $100, maybe $150 to $200 in peak season (including seat assignment and carry on luggage).
- ghaff 2y ago
  I don't love taking flights in general--and my goal moving forward is to reduce the number of flights relative to the amount of travel overall. But I'm also well aware I could make my travel more comfortable but at an hourly cost that I'd probably much rather spend on other travel things. (Not that I cheap out beyond some floor.)

SI_Rob 2y ago

So, a pricing exploit based on arbitrage between the rigorous description (and enforcement) of payment for a service in one direction, and the comparatively un-policed description of the service delivered, in the other? Perhaps the lawyering class wants everyone to either suffer under their miserable penchant for overweening semantic nitpicking, or suffer it along with them.

ChainOfFools 2y ago
A description versus price equation, where there's a lot of variables on one side and only one on the other, does seem to be the model. I guess I would add that it may only be a Salient as it is with respect to certain things like flights, because there are a couple of outstanding counter examples like cell phones and and automobiles which seem to exhibit the exact opposite trend. A deeper analysis might reveal that there is a cycle at at work here, wherein the initial novelty of a prodict or service which is destined to become a commodity, means there is not yet a strong set of expectations about what the service or product is "supposed" to provide. distinction in the market has to come from adding context to that essentially commodity utility. But later on some consumers begin to recognize that some of the additional context may not be strictly necessary or offer a value to them and would prefer compartmentalization of the core product as distinct from its value-added variants. When flights were a comparative novelty, or at least a novelty in different market segments at different times, distinction between products was through different levels and configurations of service or features rather than price. This may still be the phase of the product cycle that cell phones (setting aside the fairly stable tiers of product within that category) are in. It's harder to make as direct across the comparison with cars as they are older than both air travel and mobile phones, and because of all the regulation that enforces standardization of non-optional features related to safety.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

lotsofpulp 2y ago

On the other hand, I recall paying roughly $100 per hour of one way flight time in the 2000s, and I still pay near $100, maybe $150 to $200 in peak season (including seat assignment and carry on luggage).

ghaff 2y ago
I don't love taking flights in general--and my goal moving forward is to reduce the number of flights relative to the amount of travel overall. But I'm also well aware I could make my travel more comfortable but at an hourly cost that I'd probably much rather spend on other travel things. (Not that I cheap out beyond some floor.)