Prices have skyrocketed all over for many reasons from gas prices for delivery trucks to supply chain snarls, to plain old inflation. You betcha it's nuts to see some of these prices go through the roof and beyond, and wonder why our paychecks aren't going up the same way...
Don't forget outright greed. Ever wonder why rent doubled in the last 2 years? I would love to audit the math that explains why people who own property... like me... and rent it out.. like me.. can justify rent skyrocketing... not like me. Supply chain... on what? nothing? nice try. That's bullsh*t and everyone knows it. Personal costs are legitimate, but unless you are retired and only live on rent and you are genuinely threatened by inflation, then it is straight up greed and cannot be rationalized otherwise. All other cases sound like you just want to live on the rent and refuse to do anything otherwise. Sure, I'm a bastard for saying that but I believe it.
Some people just wait for the opportunity... like me. We all have reasons for wanting more. And when the time comes, we all cash in, or miss the boat and lament what may have been. Like thinking it would have been nice to drop 1k into doge before it spiked. Woulda coulda shoulda. Didnt.
Do I blame them? Absolutely. Do I do it? No. But should I? Probably. Because it is an uphill battle you simply cannot win if you try to play it by what's right and proper. The simple matter of the fact is that it is a ruthless world and the ruthless get what they want and the rest just complain. Doesn't mean they are wrong. Just that you would have to literally destroy everything to right the wrong. And that just seems petty.
I have a CZ 75 short rail. It's not the holy grail everyone thinks it is, but it is rare. It will never be my EDC, but I occasionally carry it for fun. You bet your a** I am waiting for the right time to sell it. If John Wick 4 comes out and he uses a short rail for 5 seconds I will list that on gunbroker immediately. Not because of inflation or whatever. But purely opportunity. I bought it not for investment, but to see what the hype was about. Turns out, it is a reasonably accurate, nice fitting gun that may be forged and lands somewhat higher on the quality scale, but is it a 3k gun? Hmmm...... If you collect and love the history and want to feel it then sure. But it is not going to revolutionize your perspective on guns. It won't make you poo on every glock you've ever held. It won't be the magic ticket that solves every gun doubt you may have had. But it is nice, and well built, and reliable, and fun to shoot, and worth a decent amount of cash simply by being historic, scarce, and the subject of numerous pop media fiction that tried to be factual. Think Gunsmith Cats. WTF does a Japanese comic writer know about guns? Who cares? He made my short rail sell for 2k more. So yeah, I have a bit of the greed bug too. But we all do. Fantasizing about the day when we can sell that weird HK we picked up at a gun show for $150 only to find out it is the weird 6k gun from Die Hard. Tell me you wouldn't sell it immediately if you found out you had that in your safe. Pretty much the same with everything. If things are skyrocketing in price, jump on the bandwagon and feel no guilt. It works and you win, or it doesn't and you have to bring your prices down. Either way, it is the way. Otherwise a bottle of coke would still be 5 cents. And it just seems cowardly to deny that our actions are because of selfishness or opportunity. So what?
I don't raise rent because that is a**holic. My property tax is 1k a year. Plus insurances and maintenance, if I make 2x what it costs, then I win. This means I can charge half of what everyone else is charging and make plenty to be cozy off of. I don't need to be a millionaire, but I do like the occasional win. While I may not gouge on rent, you can bet I will gouge on the short rail and feel no guilt over it. I draw the line on necessity, personally. We all have our own lines we'd rather not cross. Does it make us hypocrites... maybe. I don't care. It's no concern of mine to be accused of anything by anyone unless it is legit jail time. I'm fair, but plenty greedy too. I cannot wait to cash out and never run the gamut again. But to do that, I will rely on my own businesses and ability to remain sane when everyone else is choosing to gouge for everything under the sun. I may not expect everyone else to do the same, and I admit I will judge if they do. But I won't do anything about it. I will likely even pay the outrageous bill and make short work of all my own words. But I will always try to be fair about the necessities of everyone I work with and those who perpetuate my own prosperity.
... remove the willingness to look out for those who are the blood, sweat, and tears behind your own success, and you have the answer for why paychecks aren't matching inflation. Greed won. End of story.
