>From Craig:
... > From a practical point, once you separate a person's > ability to pay, from the services he receives, then > the pricing mechanism loses feedback. In other words, > there's nothing to then stop the seller from raising > his prices. and... > If the service is 'essential', then there is no limit > to the price the sellers would charge. This is an incorrect assumption. I'm assuming you are referring specifically to how the Virtual Currency system might allow individuals to acquire ESSENTIAL services for which they themselves may not presently be able to afford. If so, your misconception seems to be a very common mistake many critics of the proposed VC system make. Once again, let me try to clarify a misconception. Just like under capitalism the VC system endeavors to preserve the mechanisms that manage prices for which sellers would be able to charge for selling ESSENTIAL products & services. Those controls apply equally, to both luxuries as well as ESSENTIAL services. Market forces (the ebb and flow of supply and demand) are still in effect. They remain in effect because regardless of whether an individual can or cannot afford the service the seller is well aware of the fact that he must continue to price the value of his services competitively – if he wishes to continue to "sell" his product out in the open market. A seller must continue to sell his services and products competitively because it always remains in the purchaser's best interest to shop around for the best prices available. It always remains in the purchaser's best interest to try to get as much "bang" from his personal stash of credits as he can. This is especially the case for the vast majority of hard working individuals who have accumulated lots of surplus credits in their bank account. The vast majority of workers CAN afford pay for essential services. They pay for ESSENTIAL services directly from out their personal credit account, and the payments go directly back to CC. Therefore, if most individuals are personally paying for 100% of ESSENTIAL services it always remains in their best interest to get the best (lowest) prices they can get in order to stretch the value of what remaining surplus credits they still possess. That way they will still have plenty of surplus credits left over in which to buy all sorts of luxury products and services. This is how capitalism works. The VC system endeavors to preserve the same capitalistic price controls. Granted, an individual whose credit bank account has gone to zero no longer has the same kind of personal-economic incentive to purchase the cheapest ESSENTIAL product or service available. He is likely to be motivated primarily to purchase the best essential products and services he can acquire. He is likely to seek out the best and most highly recommended providers of an ESSENTIAL service he can locate. Typically such providers tend to charge more because most of their customers will be individuals with above average amounts of surplus credits languishing in their bank accounts. Granted, a person with zero credits in his bank account no longer cares what any seller of ESSENTIAL services charges since he knows CC, in his situation, will be "paying" 100% of his bill. However, CC (Computer Central) knows full well what the average prices for equivalent ESSENTIAL services have HISTORICALLY been pegged competitively at out in the free market system. Therefore, any provider for an ESSENTIAL service or product who discretely attempts to virtually "gouge" non-paying customers will be caught. This is especially the case pertaining to transactions involving "paying" customers CC realizes possess zero credits in their bank account. CC will tell the opportunistic seller: "Hey! The price you're attempting to chare ME!!!! That's a No-No!" CC will respond: "I'll only pay you an equivalent AVERAGE fee, a fair competitive price, a price that is historically based on what you and others in your field typically charge customers who CAN pay for your essential services. Granted, we realize that your ESSENTIAL services are more sought after by the general 'paying' market, so we don't have a problem honoring your current above-average price structure. We will pay your 'competitive' above-average price, but only up to what you currently charge paying customers. So... LIVE WITH IT!!!" Competitive pricing remains in effect. Price controls remain in effect. ... > Choosing to help others can also be a personal value. Indeed, it is one of the highest "personal values" that we can shoot for. Unfortunately, it would appear that not enuf of us can afford to be as generous with our personal values. Regards, Steven Vincent Johnson www.OrionWorks.com www.zazzle.com/orionworks
