tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3829599.post115570734934469964..comments2024-01-28T00:20:40.933-08:00Comments on Agoraphilia: The Shortest Distance Between Two ComplaintsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3829599.post-1155938541749900922006-08-18T15:02:00.000-07:002006-08-18T15:02:00.000-07:00Steven -- yes, small blessings. But I wonder if t...Steven -- yes, small blessings. But I wonder if they notice the downward-sloping demand curve elsewhere? Given that rates of heart disease have actually gone down dramatically, due to improvements in medicine, the true cost of being overweight has gone down as well. So we should expect more people to be overweight, even holding food prices constant!<BR/><BR/>JohnDewey -- I have no strong objection to regulations that require labeling, because they don't actually interfere with consumer choices or second-guess their preferences. They probably raise costs, but not substantially, and probably not on the margin (the cost of generating the relevant information is fixed with respect to quantity of output). However, I think it's also true that markets provide information when enough people want it. Consider, for instance, the <EM>entirely voluntary</EM> certification of food products as kosher: the little "K" on food labels. In fact, there's even product differentiation: the "U" also designates kosher foods, but for a different (I think more orthodox) definition of kosher. The K and U certifications are provided, I believe, by two different Jewish standard-setting groups.Glen Whitmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01425907466575991113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3829599.post-1155915766482064682006-08-18T08:42:00.000-07:002006-08-18T08:42:00.000-07:00Glen Whitman: "whether manipulating people’s dieta...Glen Whitman: "whether manipulating people’s dietary choices is a proper role for government"<BR/><BR/>I would prefer that government not engage in such manipulation. But is it possible that government action can help people eat well? <BR/><BR/>As I diabetic, I find the nutritional content data on food packaging to be extremely valuable. Absent government requirement for such information, I'm not sure food companies would provide it - at least not in the detail I need to manage my diet.<BR/><BR/>Do such goverment-imposed information requirements constitute interference in free markets? <BR/><BR/>I'm guessing that the costs to provide such information are passed on to all consumers. So perhaps those consumers who have no need for nutritional content data are subsidizing those of us who do.<BR/><BR/>Any opinion on this from a free market economist?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3829599.post-1155777504573688952006-08-16T18:18:00.000-07:002006-08-16T18:18:00.000-07:00"For instance, if we charge money for every calori..."For instance, if we charge money for every calorie of soft drink and fruit drink that was consumed, people would consume less of it."<BR/><BR/>The overall message may be wrong, but at least they understand that demand curves slope downward.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com