Lentil convexity: Difference between revisions

Then an unexpected second order of dependence emerges. For some of the 95% — who have not yet crossed the threshold for precautionary lentil purchase — then ''notice'' that the lentil shelf is nearly empty. They reconsider their apprehension of the apocalypse. They move closer to their threshold. Some cross it. Those who do collect a tin. The shelf is cleaned out.

The supermarket management, alarmed at this inexplicable sudden run on lentils, now intervenes. They impose a 3-item limit for each customer. But limiting most customers, who would not normally be seen dead buying ''one'' tin of lentils, to ''three'', won’t help the problem, since the lentils-for-judgement-day-only contingent only wanted one each in the first place. The problem is not these people bulk buying, but that ''all'' of them are ''single''-item buying.  It will also irritate those hippies and rabbit-food munchers who would ordinarily buy more tins than that even when they weren’t panicking.