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I think lobster qualifies as a Veblen good. When lobster was plentiful, it was fed to prisoners. The only reason people pay a lot for a lobster dinner is beca

by pravda 12y ago

I think lobster qualifies as a Veblen good. When lobster was plentiful, it was fed to prisoners. The only reason people pay a lot for a lobster dinner is because -- lobster is expensive!

habosa 12y ago
Our cooking techniques have improved a lot. I read somewhere that when lobster was fed to prisoners it wasn't boiled live and served like we do today, it was old and salted. I would bet that today's fresh-cooked lobster with drawn butter tastes a lot better than what the prisoners were eating. It's not only expensive, it's delicious.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- icelancer 12y ago
  It was also ground up, shells and all. They didn't care.
- phaus 12y ago
  >I would bet that today's fresh-cooked lobster with drawn butter tastes a lot better than what the prisoners were eating. There is still bad lobster in existence today. I grew up in Maine and at once point worked in the lobster-fishing industry. Later on, to my dismay, the Army used to feed us lobster that had been boiled until it was water flavored meat. Such a waste.
  - brianbreslin 12y ago
    I was visiting an eco-resort in the early 90s in panama in the san blas islands, and the locals were told the americans would only eat lobster (caught there fresh) if it was boiled, vs their own grilling/fire cooking it. So these natives proceeded to boil the life out of the poor lobsters and served the most rubbery tasteless lobster I've ever had. All because that's what they thought we liked.
  - BillyMaize 12y ago
    I work with a guy that used to be a submariner and he talks about how the best thing about being in a submarine was the food, including lobster. Maybe being in submarine they couldn't spend too long cooking it? As someone who just tried lobster for the first time this weekend I don't think anything can make it taste good.
    - phaus 12y ago
      I think the difference might be that the guy on the submarine cares whether or not its cooked properly, because he's going to be eating it too. The Army uses contractors for the most part these days.
justinsteele 12y ago
That's the silliest argument I've heard in the past 30 minutes or so (that's saying something online!) I loved the taste of lobster as a child. Feed me caviar then, and I'd be completely grossed out.

by pravda 12y ago

I think lobster qualifies as a Veblen good. When lobster was plentiful, it was fed to prisoners. The only reason people pay a lot for a lobster dinner is because -- lobster is expensive!

habosa 12y ago

Our cooking techniques have improved a lot. I read somewhere that when lobster was fed to prisoners it wasn't boiled live and served like we do today, it was old and salted. I would bet that today's fresh-cooked lobster with drawn butter tastes a lot better than what the prisoners were eating. It's not only expensive, it's delicious.

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
icelancer 12y ago
It was also ground up, shells and all. They didn't care.
phaus 12y ago
>I would bet that today's fresh-cooked lobster with drawn butter tastes a lot better than what the prisoners were eating. There is still bad lobster in existence today. I grew up in Maine and at once point worked in the lobster-fishing industry. Later on, to my dismay, the Army used to feed us lobster that had been boiled until it was water flavored meat. Such a waste.
- brianbreslin 12y ago
  I was visiting an eco-resort in the early 90s in panama in the san blas islands, and the locals were told the americans would only eat lobster (caught there fresh) if it was boiled, vs their own grilling/fire cooking it. So these natives proceeded to boil the life out of the poor lobsters and served the most rubbery tasteless lobster I've ever had. All because that's what they thought we liked.
- BillyMaize 12y ago
  I work with a guy that used to be a submariner and he talks about how the best thing about being in a submarine was the food, including lobster. Maybe being in submarine they couldn't spend too long cooking it? As someone who just tried lobster for the first time this weekend I don't think anything can make it taste good.
  - phaus 12y ago
    I think the difference might be that the guy on the submarine cares whether or not its cooked properly, because he's going to be eating it too. The Army uses contractors for the most part these days.

justinsteele 12y ago

That's the silliest argument I've heard in the past 30 minutes or so (that's saying something online!) I loved the taste of lobster as a child. Feed me caviar then, and I'd be completely grossed out.