The difficulty of selling a Wii

[Final-Fan]

Hawk said:

cdude1034 said:

Final-Fan said:

OK, up to now you've been pretty intelligent, so I have to wonder if you're deliberately misunderstanding me.  Unless, of course, you have just enough conscience to need to rationalize this kind of bullshit answer. 

A TRADER takes an item from one market, where it is cheap ($X), to another market, where it is expensive ($Y), and sells it for $Z (where X<Z<Y).  This benefits both the trader, who profits, and the customers, who save money (they have to pay less). 

A SCALPER takes an item that is sold in short supply at a fixed price (Wii) or is sold out (tickets) and sells that item in the SAME MARKET he obtained it in for profit.  This benefits the scalper, who profits, and allows sufficiently desperate individual customers to obtain the item; however, the customers in general are hurt by this process (they have to pay more). 

Scalping, in modest amounts, is tolerated in capitalist societies; however, large markups are seen as equally large douchebaggery.  And scalpers who belch platitudes about "helping the customer" are hated with a passion.

You ARE misunderstanding my argument, by which I mean your response COMPETELY IGNORES the argument I made and instead talks about how the monetary system is like a bartering system, which it's NOT.

My definitions of "scalper" and "trader" are clearly distinct and separate. The ultimate difference between them is that the trader enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the MARKETS he serves, whereas the scalper is a simple parasite.

You, sir, are a parasite to the market. And since you are a natural function of our imperfect capitalist system, we accept that as long as you don't suck too much blood or deny your parasitic nature.

But, I provide a service/product to someone who needs it, who in turn, gives me the money I desire. That by definition also makes me a symbiote.

So you provide a service/product that was already there, for someone who needs it, but add extra cost. Hmmm, what school teaches that is a symbiote?

symbiosis: ... 4. any interdependent or mutually beneficial relationship between two persons, groups, etc.

Just so there's no misunderstanding, there's the definition. I provide a product for someone in need, they provide me money. There's no other getting around that one. Yes it's at a higher price, but they'll only pay if the demand is great enough.

YES THERE IS A GOD DAMNED MISUNDERSTANDING.  You refuse, apparently, to see that you are a parasite on the MARKET even if you are not a parasite to any INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMER.  This is at least the third time I have made this point and I demand that you either rebut my argument or accept it instead of F^@%ING IGNORING IT. 

(bold emphasis has been added to the post history to selected passages)