[ExI] Why is “cost of living” such a big problem?

[spike at rainier66.com]

From: John Clark <johnkclark at gmail.com> 
Subject: Re: [ExI] Why is “cost of living” such a big problem?

 

On Fri, Nov 6, 2026 at 12:51 PM <spike at rainier66.com <mailto:spike at rainier66.com> > wrote:

 

>>> If you consider a drug too expensive, don’t buy it.

 

>>…Great choice you have given us, don't buy the drug and die rich, or buy it and live in poverty…. John K Clark

 

> But if we defund medical research [...]

 

>…OH FOR DARWIN'S SAKE!  Why the hell are American consumers and American consumers ALONE responsible for repaying the entire research and development budget for every drug in existence…

 

We aren’t.  We have the option to not buy the drugs.  Our system is set up to compel medical research investment to come here, for it generates a lot of the kinds of jobs we have in the USA, which generates tax revenue for those who create the system.  Notice I am not arguing that it is entirely fair or even optimal for humankind.

 

>...But perhaps it's just me, does anybody around here think that Spike's argument is logical, or even coherent?

 

I do.  I also recognize that the way the USA does medical legal infrastructure is far from libertarian and far from optimal.  Ours is the second worst system for supporting medical research, better only than everything else.  This explains why so much of it is done here.

 

None of my personal investment is in medical research, for the reasons we have discussed here.  It is too risky, and if one hits the medication lottery, some feel the company should not try to maximize its profit.

 

  > John we already know you are not libertarian,

 

>…If you are a libertarian then I am not one. If you are not a libertarian then I am one.  

 John K Clark

 

Ja, I do occasionally get the vague sense that you and I do not agree on everything politically.

 

spike

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.extropy.org/pipermail/extropy-chat/attachments/20261106/c33cd1eb/attachment.htm>