> > The issue is that the prices are too high for perceived value.
> How much do you value your favorite authors eating or having health insurance?
I give to charities to take care of those who can't take care of themselves; I buy entertainment to be entertained.
> readers' perception of value in books is fundamentally misaligned with the actual economics of the book trade, to the detriment of both.
Then maybe the profession of writer will gradually go away, much as the profession of fencing master (the real sort, who taught how to win in a fight, not at sport) has.
> How much do you value your favorite authors eating or having health insurance?
I give to charities to take care of those who can't take care of themselves; I buy entertainment to be entertained.
> readers' perception of value in books is fundamentally misaligned with the actual economics of the book trade, to the detriment of both.
Then maybe the profession of writer will gradually go away, much as the profession of fencing master (the real sort, who taught how to win in a fight, not at sport) has.