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Originally Posted by !@#$%!
well it's not a crock of shit-- it's desirable as your post implies
the claim that we have a perfect free enterprise system is what's the crock of shit though.
but the convergence towards schedules/price points doesn't require collusion-- just competition
i.e. gas station that prices a dime higher will lose-- is forced to match
tv channel that plays commercials at a different time will be tuned out
it's easier to imitate than to coordinate en-masse
herd behavior is common in nature for a reason
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Well, coordinating en masse, or true collusion between gas companies, would lap free enterprise and become straight up price-fixing. Imitation is the only legal course of action here.
I see gas prices fluctuate by 5-10 cents in rural gas stations that are in the same general area. But I think it works a little differently here than it did in the city. Folks care deeply about whose gas is the most pure, which station's pumps are less likely to contain more than a certain percentage of water, etc. Rural America is fucked in a lot of ways, but small town folks still kind of police commerce in a way. I see Facebook posts like, "Hey everyone, so-and-so is up 5, steee clear," and then 150 people like and share.
It's weird.
This is not my natural environment. Sometimes I feel like my adventures trying to navigate this bizarro-land are being narrated by David Attenborough and screened for aliens somewhere.