We papered over the affordability crisis9 with low prices for consumer goods, soaring asset values that kept richer Americans happy, and mountains of debt: housing debt and student-loan debt and medical debt that kept the working class semi-afloat.

“he kept pushing it. And now those who use it buy it at a huge price—can’t live without it. When their costs go up a bit, they put the prices up, and no one cancels.”12 Wouldn’t each company love to have such pricing power?

Zalando and others are able to place their ads on other websites and target me directly. If that is possible with advertisements, then it is possible with prices.

A well-known example of unbundling is the ongoing trend toward charging baggage fees and other surcharges in addition to the price of a plane ticket.