I go to get supplies and some of my favorite things are sold out and haven’t been restocked. That makes me worry that there may be a shortage of my favorite stuff. Now, if we get half the people in the US to believe that there is a shortage of that same item, sure enough there will be in a matter of hours. Hey, I know what I am talking about, I lived through the 1973 great toilet paper run and believe me, I was worried!!! But I had no need to worry, my Father-in-law had cartons of TP at his business to stock their rest-room and he brought us a carton to hold us over (or wipe us under). Sure did save the day.
This shortage all started when people panicked when they herd Johnny Carson make some kind of joke on a TP shortage. The power of suggestion was so great and so many people watched the Johnny Carson Show before they went to sleep at night, that the next morning everyone went out and bought as much TP as they could. That left people like me who don’t believe everything they hear, and don’t panic easily, without any TP. Yep, the stores got picked clean of it and it took them about three weeks to restock all the stores. I bet after that, business dropped off drastically for TP, since everyone now had a big supply in their homes. Such a panic; and some countries in this world at the time never heard of TP.
Now it makes me wonder if a lot of today’s shortages are a figment of our panic. What do you think? I know one thing for sure, it doesn’t take a whole lot to panic some people, and panic is like a snowball rolling down a hill. As it starts down the hill it picks up momentum and volume, the further it goes the faster it goes and the more momentum and volume it acquires. Panic is like that, don’t you think so?
Some companies try to induce panic to sell their products. I would never purchase anything from those companies (unless there is a shortage of my favorite brand of TP….grin)
I think we should test this. What should we state is going to be in short supply? (know any small business that needs a boost?)
ReplyDeleteI'll be happy to post it on my blogs and fb etc.
lol! of course AFTER I go get MY supply prior to the panic.
I have more than 450 rolls of toilet paper stored. I have enough food stored to feed my eight closest family members for a year. No, I am not a Mormon. I am not panicky either. I am prepared.
ReplyDeleteBased on the economic condition of the nation and the world, I just don't want to be caught with my pants down ;) when the bad choices made by our leaders over the years finally have consequences.
Back in the day, a mennonite family that lived outside Lancaster, PA. lost the roof of their house to a freaky windstorm. I was told there was TP, that had blown out of their attic, scattered all over the little village. I guess living through the depression does that for ya.
ReplyDeleteKellie, We could try but I don’t thing we have the audience that Johnny Carson had.
ReplyDeleteKris, If it comes to collapse, I believe I could live off the land. I was a Euell Gibbons fan, remember him.
Sharon, my parents lived through the depression and taught me to not waste and be frugal. We don’t need all the frills in our lives.
Dizzy, almost all commodity pricing comes from manipulation of the supply and demand rule. How has oil gotten so out of hand? By causing a 'shortage'. Remember when we had to drive 55? and we couldn't buy it on the weekends because we were out? Seems like there is plenty when we pay $4. Right?
ReplyDeleteShoot , how bout the sugar shortage some years ago. People were flocking to Mexico to stock up. Got so bad they developed a shortage in Mexico and a limit in it.
ReplyDeleteMichael, Yes, I believe prises are manipulated to suit the seller (unless I am selling something)
ReplyDeleteBen, wouldn't Sugarland, TX be closer?
Haha. I find there's a big shortage of common sense DD but there doesn't seem to be a run on it...
ReplyDeleteWe could go back to the Sears & Roebuck catalogs, although I doubt they make the big one anymore. Next time I'm in a Sears I think I'll grab a bunch of the thinner specialty catalogs, because you have probably just started creating a shortage. If Johnny can do it with a remark on TV, then Dizzy-Dick can do it with a remark on his blog!
ReplyDeleteSome say shortages of gas, TP and my favorite cheap cookies at Walmart are all caused by China and Bill Gates to push up the price! :-)
ReplyDeleteFT, you sure are right on that. If everyone had more common sense just think how great the world would be.
ReplyDeleteGypsy, you sure got me laughing. I don’t think I have quite the influence that Johnny had, but I am working on it. . . (grin)
Old Geezer, I wouldn’t doubt it. I can’t find my favorite hot sauce there anymore, Tabasco Co.’s habanera sauce, and my crunchy almond butter. Got to have my almond butter. I did manage to live through the TP shortage, so I guess I can handle any other shortage with ease.
Try Chipotle sauce from Tobasco Co. It's no where near as hot as habanera sauce but its good.
ReplyDeleteErnest, OK, I will try it. Habanera has a flavor I love and I like the bite. I buy other brands, but none compare to the Tobasco brand.
ReplyDelete