[mrcartmeneses]

Germany, for example has rent controls, this is generally a great success, but in Berlin it’s a total disaster.

The contention that it “doesn’t work” in LA and NYC doesn’t really tell us anything useful about groceries.

What you also seem to miss is that government intervention in markets is actually the norm, not the exception, they just don’t normally intervene in ways that get sensationalised by the press.

[dmitrygr]

Not in America. In America, lack of government intervention is the norm. Which is probably why almost all the large companies in the world and most successful startups are here and not in Europe. Also probably why the standard of living is significantly higher here.

[DaveZale]

Yes! As long as we don't confuse "Standard of Living" with "Quality of Life " - all the money in the world won't help with the results of eating a bad diet, all too often. For example, what's up with the overeating that results in obesity, diabetes and heart disease (all of which correlate with later cognitive decline) - then we need to inject peptides for curbing appetite? Sure, huge industry, big profits, trillion dollar stock valuations - big Standard of Living! But it's kind of "bass ackwards" - simply improving dietary habits could save us all a boatload of money and prevent completely avoidable lifestyle diseases. Sorry if this is "doomer" stuff - but there's an easy way out, and it can be fun, and good for the wallet.