[kashi]

ugh, I just wrote a long response and lost it.

the gist was, when I studied in South America, bargaining with shopkeepers was the norm. I had a hard time doing it. I couldn't stand grinding them down to $1 for a handmade blanket when they originally asked for $10, all the while seeing their small children in the back, shoeless and dirty. I paid the price they asked on more than one occasion, without bartering.

in corporate America, I can see it, but I just can't do it. I'd rather comparison shop to find the best deal, or not buy it at all.