&gt; rather than foisting those responsibilities on arbitrary economic transactions<p>Transactions are never arbitrary. They&#x27;re an action taken by individuals based on their interests, and their interests are determined by their values, and their values are often shaped -- at least to some degree -- by communal values.<p>&gt; but this basic price determination mechanism is great when it works<p>How do you know when it works? Obviously, there is difference of opinion in determining what &quot;works&quot; means.<p>&gt; Instead, what if I offer $20 to a poor person to let me slap them hard in the face? That might be a good deal for them, but I&#x27;m still a jerk for doing it. The problem though isn&#x27;t that the transaction is exploitative. It&#x27;s that it&#x27;s wasteful.<p>OK, that&#x27;s a classic.