I don’t think it’s idiocy, but I don’t think it’s only logistics. Another explanation that seems just as plausible: TP is very big, so it’s easily noticed when in low supply. That + people copying others behavior + the media reporting on it in one place leading to extra shortage in many more places seems to me equally behind this. In other words, too many people thinking “I’ll buy just a bit earlier so I don’t miss out” seems to me equally possible. Also jfc this article is a phenomenal example of just how much you can stretch a minor insight that would easily fit a tweet. Medium, man.
Right on all counts. That said, I drove past Butch's Guns the other day and saw a line 9 people deep waiting to get in. "What the hell do they need guns for?" I asked myself. "To defend their toilet paper, of course," I answered. People are buying because they have no control. Therefore they are buying things that give them a sense of control. That said, there are actual logistical reasons behind certain shortages. I mean, I can look up isopropyl alcohol on my medical suppliers' pages and look up isopropyl alcohol on eBay and see an easy 1000% profit to be made. If everyone could buy from medical supply houses they'd be golden, but they can't. Most of them are saying "we won't sell this to you unless you have a pre-existing account, and if you have a pre-existing account, we'll only sell to you if you've ever bought this before."
Yup. You need ONE paragraph of this article to address the title, and it's like 7 paragraphs in. I would argue that's the "logic" of idiots, hence idiocy. But it turns out their actions were at least somewhat justifiable, it's just that no one has explained to me why until today. too many people thinking “I’ll buy just a bit earlier so I don’t miss out” seems to me equally possible.