The litmus test on the "fairness" of these billing procedures is if you can hold the merchant account and not blow up the bank with chargebacks...I think people in the know are familiar with the answer to this question...
Where is Colin when we need him?
Colin, please explain the "The Nash Equilibrium" better than I can...
Here is an example -
The Prisoner's Dilemma
In Joseph Heller's novel Catch-22, allied victory in World War II is a foregone conclusion, and Yossarian does not want to be among the last ones to die. His commanding officer points out, "But suppose everyone on our side felt that way?" Yossarian replies, "Then I'd certainly be a damned fool to feel any other way, wouldn't I?"
Every general reader has heard of the prisoner's dilemma. The police interrogate two suspects separately, and suggest to each that he or she should fink on the other and turn state's evidence. "If the other does not fink, then you can cut a good deal for yourself by giving evidence against the other; if the other finks and you hold out, the court will treat you especially harshly. Thus no matter what the other does, it is better for you to fink than not to fink -- finking is your uniformly best or 'dominant' strategy." This is the case whether the two are actually guilty, as in some episodes of NYPD Blue, or innocent, as in the film LA Confidential. Of course, when both fink, they both fare worse than they would have if both had held out; but that outcome, though jointly desirable for them, collapses in the face of their separate temptations to fink.
Yossarian's dilemma is just a multi-person version of this. His death is not going to make any significant difference to the prospects of victory, and he is personally better off alive than dead. So avoiding death is his dominant strategy.
In essence...look out for numero uno. The Nash Equilibrium forces people to consider what other people are THINKING before making their choices also...ie, thinking about thinking...and if you are in an industry where you think numerous people are thinking we're on a runaway train towards the abyss, do you hop on the train to get what you can...or do you stand on the tracks watching as it runs you over...
I dunno....I just wonder how many people have saved for a rainy day..cuz it's starting to sprinkle...
