[richbell]

Hey, I never said it was _my_ favourite!

Anyway, my point is that only focusing on the 'logic' and numbers misses the point. The myopic focus on short-term profits hurts the average person and their communities.

You asked in an earlier comment if we should "subsidize every business in existence that can't make the economics work on its own merits?" I am not necessarily saying that we should, but we ought to acknowledge that the economy is not a system based on merit. In addition to blatantly profiteering, many large companies have taken trillions from programs like PPP loans that were meant to protect jobs, and proceeded with layoffs or stock buybacks instead. That money not only comes from you and I, but it also affects our communities — people lose their jobs, and the record profit are shuffled away into tax havens.

Does the world _need_ a specialty cheese shop? No. But the larger collapse of small, locally owned businesses since 2020 is a worrying trend.