Lyle Burkhead, <lybrhed@earthlink.net>, writes:
> Is scenario #2 more plausible than #1? Why? Why would a mite-sized Exxon
> take orders from me, when the actual Exxon wouldn't?
Because there are a lot more mite-sized Exxons than there are people-sized ones. Maybe a million times more. That gives you a million times more bargaining power in getting them to do what you want.
When only a few men knew how to read and write, they could make a good living as scribes. Today, when almost everyone can do it, you can no longer make a living this way. Increase the supply of a commodity, and its cost will go down.
Hal