Hope that coffee was good, could use a cup myself
I see this issue being the most divisive (only divisive?) topic on KKF currently. It polarizes people, and I think that is because it has to do with fundamental views of individual freedoms and community responsibilities, markets and economies, and esp. the role "governing structures" play in that scheme. Much akin to the debate we have in our society in general, "liberal" vs "conservative". In the end, everybody is seeking the same goal: a "fair" marketplace that is in line this community's ethical guidelines. But what is "fair"? And what are the ethics that this community, and by extension BST, believes in and decides to encourage/enforce? No clear cut answer there, because there are as many people in the "private transaction" camp as the "flippers are the new scourge" camp and both sides have valid arguments.
Because you deny it or haven't read it doesn't change the fact this debate encapsulates all three topics you mention: price structures of retailers and private sellers, what choices private individuals are making with their money, and the existence of new member "flippers" who many feel take advantage of BST. All those topics have been mentioned and discussed at length on the forum, in this thread and others.
Yes, societies and cultures have norms/laws/regulations/etc... because they are in place to protect the individuals and the society as a whole from the abuses or harms caused by the excess of individual freedoms. The moral and ethical justification is the intent to balance the rights of the individual vs the safety and stability of that society.
However, in the microcosm that is KKF and BST, the potential harms to the society of allowing the "flipping" to continue are quite limited: some people do get upset but I find it hard to believe people get hurt or die from not buying a Kato or Shig because its overpriced. People get hurt and die from meth and the harms to society are real, so your comparison is foolish and false.
Something which I prefaced as my opinion; I never said discussion of this topic is pathetic. You didn't fully read or comprehend my statement. I find it pathetic how some members believe the answer to flipping is to "tell the teacher" and have more regulation and rules put in place in BST. Asking the Admins and Mods to play police so they can try and hopefully ban or discourage the people who flip is pointless because this is the internet, and usernames/emails are free and limitless. Plus, are you going to compensate for their time and effort?
I see a lot of newer, non-supporting members who have a lot to say about what goes on around here. Have YOU invested in your community? Paid your dues? Put your money where your mouth is.
I already stated that profiteering and "flipping" are as old as commerce and trade itself and as long as opportunities exist, there will be unscrupulous opportunists. The internet makes it worse. I remember the $100 bottles of drinking water in Houston or New Orleans after the floods. Now that is truly evil opportunism, because it is capitalizing on peoples NEEDS. These knives are WANTS and NOBODY NEEDS a Kato or Shig or whatever hype knife. So again I ask, what are the harms to the society of KKF or in general that are severe enough to justify limiting individual rights to have transactions in private, regardless of who the individual is? Rights cannot be applied unequally; otherwise they are not rights at all.
People who cry and complain about what other people do, when it has no direct impact on their quality of life or well-being, and can't mind their own business are truly pathetic and need to grow up. If a politician does something, or your employer does something, and it pisses you off because it affects your life, you have every right to say or do whatever you feel necessary. But whining because of BST posts? C'mon.
For example, if it hurts you and upsets you enough
to complain publicly that I sold my knife for $1000 when I bought it for $600, to someone who happily wants to pay $1000 for it today, you are
PATHETIC and need to get a life. It doesn't matter if it was bought 6 years ago or 6 days ago. The part I find "baffling" but you didn't understand is how people are so concerned and involved (emotionally it seems, masked as ethical concerns) in the private dealings of other people, when that transaction has no direct impact on the outside party's quality of life or well-being. I understand and fully support people not liking things and having strong opinions; however, when an opinion becomes a contention that something is wrong with the society and needs systemic regulatory correction, when there are no clear harms justifying that regulation on balance, it is absurd.
You are correct, market conditions are determined by regulating factors, either external or internal. Internal is the supply/demand dynamic and external being government or social controls. However, all economies do not work how you describe; price and transaction transparency is not a fundamental characteristic of just any "economy". It is the characteristic what are considered "free market" economies. And BST is now and is intended to be a "free market" type scenario. Where prices ought to be recorded after sale. Where supply and demand ought to dictate prices. If someone does not like that price, it does not matter.
And what does an overpriced bucket from China have to do with anything?
