Going Once, Twice, Sold [Out]....

For the privileged few of us who lived through the birth of the modern internet, you probably remember when Craigslist hit the scene. It was a magical time when one could peruse a thousand yard sales without having to walk around, always feeling obligated to buy something cheap just because you looked. If you wanted something, you could probably find it, or at least something sufficiently similar, on Craigslist. Yes, with one website, a world's worth of other people's trash easily became your treasure - it was a massive stockpile of Antique Roadshow leftovers.

Four years later, the system is corrupt. By using today's Craigslist, you are no longer standing defiantly in the face of eBay and stating, "I will not succumb to your market pressures of supply and demand." No sir - you are simply saying, in a passive aggressive manner, "I cannot afford your fee, so I will take my business elsewhere." Craigslist, once host to the "get this out of my house" listing, has slowly evolved into a "$30.00 OBO," which really means, "I am a money-grubbing scoundrel, and I this is a for-profit venture."

Here is a personal example. Yesterday, while shopping for an armoire, I responded to three listings. In all three cases, the seller's response was something to the effect of, "Thanks for the interest. I have received a higher offer, but feel free to counter it." In fact, one person told me what the "revised" asking price was. I hope he did not sleep well last night.

It's only a guess, but I bet the creators of Craigslist shudder at the thought of their perverted dream. In an attempt to create a buyer's utopia, they unleashed a capitalist monster. May God have mercy on our souls.