4 ms·

I do not understand the statement "Everyone would benefit from competition". How is that not an oxymoron? Surely those that do not win in a competition are lo

I do not understand the statement "Everyone would benefit from competition". How is that not an oxymoron? Surely those that do not win in a competition are losers. How is that a benefit to them?

AnimalMuppet 2y ago
"Everyone" meaning "everyone as a whole", not absolutely every individual. If there's more than one grocery store, I probably get better prices. (Or, negatively, if there's only one then I probably get worse prices.) And so with every other aspect of the economy.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- practicemaths 2y ago
  So, if competition is supposed to fix other aspects of the economy, why is healthcare disproportionately high compared to other things? There are several hospitals around me. Endless amount of doctor offices. There are several health insurance companies I can choose from. There is competition. Yet, prices are not affordable for most.
  - chii 2y ago
    > healthcare disproportionately high compared to other things? it's because the number you're comparing to is from other countries, where they subsidize their own citizen's healthcare. The US's healthcare system has become a convoluted mess, and the competition you mention is not sufficient.
    - practicemaths 2y ago
      Oh, so there are other means or systems that are good or even better, i.e. more sufficient to fix or improve society than just blind competition. Got it!
  - arrowleaf 2y ago
    It's not fair competition, healthcare is full of players competing with each other in a highly regulated marketplace. The system has been set up in a way (generally with good intentions, you want doctors to have expensive malpractice insurance for example) that no matter who is providing the services, the costs to the end user are going to be high.
    - practicemaths 2y ago
      So, maybe something's can't be solved by free market capitalism?
burnte 2y ago
Fair competition drives out inefficient players, and generally can keep costs down for consumers. That's what it means, it doesn't literally mean every single person will profit, but competition makes for healthier markets than lack thereof.
- practicemaths 2y ago
  So, competition benefits consumers, which are a subset of society. Say that instead.
  - burnte 2y ago
    I did.
    - practicemaths 2y ago
      Okay.

I do not understand the statement "Everyone would benefit from competition". How is that not an oxymoron? Surely those that do not win in a competition are losers. How is that a benefit to them?

AnimalMuppet 2y ago

"Everyone" meaning "everyone as a whole", not absolutely every individual. If there's more than one grocery store, I probably get better prices. (Or, negatively, if there's only one then I probably get worse prices.) And so with every other aspect of the economy.

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
practicemaths 2y ago
So, if competition is supposed to fix other aspects of the economy, why is healthcare disproportionately high compared to other things? There are several hospitals around me. Endless amount of doctor offices. There are several health insurance companies I can choose from. There is competition. Yet, prices are not affordable for most.
- chii 2y ago
  > healthcare disproportionately high compared to other things? it's because the number you're comparing to is from other countries, where they subsidize their own citizen's healthcare. The US's healthcare system has become a convoluted mess, and the competition you mention is not sufficient.
  - practicemaths 2y ago
    Oh, so there are other means or systems that are good or even better, i.e. more sufficient to fix or improve society than just blind competition. Got it!
- arrowleaf 2y ago
  It's not fair competition, healthcare is full of players competing with each other in a highly regulated marketplace. The system has been set up in a way (generally with good intentions, you want doctors to have expensive malpractice insurance for example) that no matter who is providing the services, the costs to the end user are going to be high.
  - practicemaths 2y ago
    So, maybe something's can't be solved by free market capitalism?

burnte 2y ago

Fair competition drives out inefficient players, and generally can keep costs down for consumers. That's what it means, it doesn't literally mean every single person will profit, but competition makes for healthier markets than lack thereof.

practicemaths 2y ago
So, competition benefits consumers, which are a subset of society. Say that instead.
- burnte 2y ago
  I did.
  - practicemaths 2y ago
    Okay.