so you talk about supply and demand, yet think cost is set purely by suppliers? What do you think would happen to the cost of potatoes if only 10% of last years harvest was harvested this year. It would go up, but only to the point where the supply vs. demand equalized, i.e. 90% of people wouldn't be buying potatoes cause they cost way too much, but there would be 10% of the people(like my wife) who would still be willing to buy them at $50 for 5 pounds, cause she values potatoes that much(she's got a serious fixation on potato soup). I.e. the value of a good depends on the person doing the valuing, i.e. subjective value.