The genius of the market economy 17 August 2005

Today's New York Times carries an article ("A Business Built on the Trouble of Teenagers") about the boom of expensive rehabilitation programs for troubled teenagers. This is truly the genious of the market economy - it first pulverizes the brains of kids by bombarding them with temptations they cannot resist, then spins a cottage industry offering desparate parents help in remedying the problem. Psychiatry and all kinds of thereapy for grown-ups follow a similar logic. The Washington Post carries an article ("In Retail, Profiling for Profit") on the use of customers databases and new software by retailers who want to determine the true value of shoppers by assigning them to various categories and extending appropriate treatment (hint - potential big spenders and serial returners are treated differently). I am wondering if my Intro to Politics students will see any problem with this new approach. I'll find out - if I don't forget.