4 ms·

So you need those things, an ongoing deflation is only a factor in your evaluation. It doesn't mean you'll never buy them. You will think "is it worth for me to

So you need those things, an ongoing deflation is only a factor in your evaluation. It doesn't mean you'll never buy them. You will think "is it worth for me to hold out a little longer before buying" and there will be a threshold where you think "no" and you buy. You could just as well argue that inflation leads to a spiral of death because people won't be able to afford things. Therefore they won't buy things, nobody will produce things, and there will be no things. Sounds just as logical.

mikeash 12y ago
I'm sorry, I have no idea how your reply relates to my comment.
- facepalm 12y ago
  Well "really need" is in the eye of the beholder. Except for staying alive. Do you honestly believe because of Deflation people would only buy the barest minimum of things to keep them alive? And when would you buy a sleeping bag. Maybe it is Minus 5 degrees outside but you can survive that. After all, tomorrow the sleeping back will be 1$ less tomorrow, and after all you'll only die if it's minus 10 degrees?
  - mikeash 12y ago
    I'm not talking about deflation. I'm just addressing your idea that "maybe there are also benefits if people only buy the stuff they actually need." I don't think that this would be a good thing at all. I make no comment about what might cause this to happen, only that it's not a desirable outcome.
    - facepalm 12y ago
      Only because you choose to interpret "stuff you actually need" in a nitpicking, negative way. You are not trying to understand my point. You said you need certain things like computers. So where is the problem?
      - mikeash 12y ago
        I said I don't need those things, but I want them, and I think a world where people only buy what they need is a world where those things don't exist. If I misinterpreted what you meant by "stuff you actually need" then maybe you should explain what you meant, because I don't see how else it could go.

mikeash 12y ago

I'm sorry, I have no idea how your reply relates to my comment.

facepalm 12y ago
Well "really need" is in the eye of the beholder. Except for staying alive. Do you honestly believe because of Deflation people would only buy the barest minimum of things to keep them alive? And when would you buy a sleeping bag. Maybe it is Minus 5 degrees outside but you can survive that. After all, tomorrow the sleeping back will be 1$ less tomorrow, and after all you'll only die if it's minus 10 degrees?
- mikeash 12y ago
  I'm not talking about deflation. I'm just addressing your idea that "maybe there are also benefits if people only buy the stuff they actually need." I don't think that this would be a good thing at all. I make no comment about what might cause this to happen, only that it's not a desirable outcome.
  - facepalm 12y ago
    Only because you choose to interpret "stuff you actually need" in a nitpicking, negative way. You are not trying to understand my point. You said you need certain things like computers. So where is the problem?
    - mikeash 12y ago
      I said I don't need those things, but I want them, and I think a world where people only buy what they need is a world where those things don't exist. If I misinterpreted what you meant by "stuff you actually need" then maybe you should explain what you meant, because I don't see how else it could go.