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

[Henrik Ohrstrom]

thanks Exi-mod for the link to principles v3. I was stuck on v2.5 for some
reason. now updated.
There is nothing in the principles that directly addresses the ethics of
economics but I think there is some general direction.

in point 6 self direction, "Extropians see benevolence as a virtue that
guides our interactions with the self-directed lives of others. Benevolence
naturally goes along with an appreciation of the value in other selves and
with confidence in our own self. We see benevolence not as an obligation to
sacrifice our interests, but as a disposition to be helpful to others. We
approach others as potential sources of value, friendship, cooperation, and
pleasure. We see a benevolent disposition not only as an emotionally more
stable and enjoyable state than cynicism, hostility, and meanness, but also
as more likely to induce reciprocal positive treatment. Benevolence implies
a presumption of common moral decencies including politeness, patience, and
honesty. While we do not seek to get along with everyone at any cost, we do
seek to maximize the benefits of our interactions with others."

in v2.6 INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY
Profound technological innovation excites rather than frightens us. We
welcome change, expanding our horizons, exploring new territory boldly and
inventively. We favor careful and cautious development of powerful
technologies, but will neither stifle evolutionary advancement nor cringe
before the unfamiliar. Regarding timidity and stagnation as unworthy of us,
we choose to stride valiantly into the future. Extropians therefore favor
surging ahead delighting in future shock rather than ignobly stagnating or
reverting to primitivism. Intelligent use of biotechnology, nanotechnology,
space and other technologies, in conjunction with a free market system, can
remove resource constraints and discharge environmental pressures.

there is nothing about doing the economic version of "your body, my choice"
on everyone in the name of the holy profit.

Mylan and epipen are an example of malignant interaction. there is no
investment or research apart from research in how to use the government as
an enforcer to keep all others out from a market where mylan has done no
research whatsoever,  They bought the product epipen 2007 from Merk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mylan  and continue to use technicalities to
hinder alternatives.
In Sweden there are 5 different companies with 2-4 versions of adrenaline
autoinjectors per company. Price point if you buy them straight off the
counter without any prescription and thus pay full price can be found here
: https://www.apotekpriser.se/produkter/virkestoff/adrenalin/   it is 40-50
dollars per injektor. epipen is one of those alternatives.
US prices are somewhat higher, apparently there have come some alternatives
but they are still significantly more expensive,
https://www.talktomira.com/post/how-much-does-an-epipen-cost  with the
lowest price here, 174.04 dollar.
No research apart from how to bribe a patent court in Texas are
performed in regards to adrenaline autoinjection nowadays.
If anything adrenaline is probably over estimated as treatment but no
useful research is done by anyone so it will stay as first alternative for
a long time since dragging any kind of useful study through all the
bureaucracy of FDA and its ilk in other countries are way worse than
pulling teeth without local anesthetics. This research is most
certainly not done by mylan / viatris.
Anyway, I digress, back to the real subject.

Is price gouging of weak customers who can't act as an equal in the market
a good extropian practice?

/henrik


Den fre 6 nov. 2026 kl 18:47 skrev spike jones via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>:

>
> >...> On Behalf Of Ben Zaiboc via extropy-chat
> Subject: Re: [ExI] Why is "cost of living" such a big problem?
>
> On 06/11/2026 16:20, Henrik Ohrstrom wrote:
>
> >>... There is nothing wrong with making money.
> > There is nothing wrong with being rich and wealthy.
> > There is all sorts of wrong making money by denying others their chances
> to make money...
>
>
> Well put.
>
> >...Spike, it seems you don't even understand the argument that Henrik, I
> and others are making....
> --
> Ben
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
> Ben, it seems you don't even understand the argument I am making.  I know
> successful drug companies corner markets and make a ton of money.  I get
> that.  I also get it that unless they do, investors will not put money into
> medical research companies, because everyone else researching in that field
> dominated by one guy lost.
>
> Even the company which wins in a particular area doesn't win in all of
> them.
> It uses its obscene profits on one medication to fund research in other
> medications.
>
> Market forces apply to medical research as well as every other field.
>
> spike
>
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> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
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>
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