"Ron" > wrote
> "Dutch" > wrote:

>> >> > > > I have purchased tomatoes in the past past 2 weeks, three times.
>> >> > > > Prior
>> >> > > > to this, I purchased some in approximately May of 2004. Imagine
>> >> > > > my
>> >> > > > surprise and chagrin to note that farmers still kill animals,
>> >> > > > use
>> >> > > > pesticides, clear land and all of those things when I don't buy
>> >> > > > their
>> >> > > > products. Could it be that they are responsible for their own
>> >> > > > actions?
>> >> I
>> >> > > > don't control the universe. They will still do what they do
>> >> independent
>> >> > > > of my actions.
>> >> > >
>> >> > > They are not independent of your actions, in fact they DEPEND on
>> >> > > your
>> >> > > demand. The reason nothing changes is that your demand is very
>> >> > > small,
>> >> but
>> >> > > significant in principle.
>> >> >
>> >> > Now you've changed the argument. They act independent of my action
>> >> > as
>> >> > was demonstrated.
>> >>
>> >> No, in theory supply responds 1:1 with fluctuations in demand. In
>> >> reality
>> >> supply does not change unless there is a significant and peristent
>> >> change.
>> >
>> > In _theory_. Clearly, if I am and others are able to not buy tomatoes
>> > for periods of months and growers will still do their thing then, the
>> > ratio of 1:1 is false.
>>
>> I said 1:1 is theoretical, a supply curve can't work that way.
>
> Theoretical and actual are different. That was the point. Thank you for
> agreeing.

The difference reflects the complexity of a demand/supply situation in a
diverse market. The principle stands, decreasing demand leads to decreasing
production, and vice versa.

To state it simplistically but essentially correctly, YOU cause a farmer to
grow a tomato every time you eat one.

>> > Frankly, I wasn't interested in changing the
>> > dynamic at this time and for the reasons stated previously. A problem
>> > of
>> > theoretical constructions.
>>
>> There's no problem with the principle, if demands drops by a perceptible
>> amount for a single production cycle then production targets will be set
>> based on that level. That's where your impact is felt.