This is the Captain Vimes's boots theory of economics, paraphrased as I can't remember the exact details and am too lazy to try and find it, but it is ©Terry Pratchett :-)
Captain Vimes doesn't have much spare cash, instead spending most of it on cheap booze (!) so spends $5 on his boots. They are not good boots he knows this, after a very short period they will start to disintegrate, they will leak and be uncomfortable but with some make do and mending and stuffing with the Ankh Morpork Times they can be made to last about a year at which time he will pay another $5 and buy another pair.
Lord So and So on the other hand for one reason or another has more disposable income. So he gets his boots made to measure. They cost $25 but they have been made by a local skilled artisan. They are luxurious, they are beautifully made, they look good, they are comfortable and most of all they will still be as good in 25 years *and* he will have had dry feet *the whole time*.
Much simplified but just a thought...
No comments:
Post a Comment