Big Macs, the standard for everything?
H N Fiddlebottoms VIII
07-09-2005, 18:53
It seems that everything is listed in terms of either how many of X it takes to get a Big Mac, or how many Big Mac's it takes to do X has apparently become the new standard of measure.
Why? What is so goddamned fascinating about a crappy-ass fast food item that people have decided to base their lives around?
Is it the marketing campaign that has lain claim to the collective subconcious of people that write this stuff?
Is there some ultra secret conspiracy that everyone but me has been let in on?
Am I just bored, so I'm wasting time thinking about unimportant things?
And before anybody requests them, I can provide Sources (Imagine that, someone on NS actually using evidence to back up their argument, thrilllingly revolutionary, no?):
OMG SOURCE!!!!! (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9598057&postcount=77)
However, as well as original this post is also lazy, so I'm only going to use that one source, sorry.
Wait, I'm not sorry at all, sorry about lying.
Come to think of it, I'm not really sorry about lying about being sorry either.
Blackfoot Barrens
07-09-2005, 19:04
Because a Big Mac is a standardised item that takes a standardised amount of resources to produce, no matter where in the world it is produced. Big Macs cost the same the world over, even though you have to hand over more or less actual cash depending on the country, since in Industrialised countries you have to pay more for your goods. The reasons are complex but in the West we pay far more for a Big Mac or a T-Shirt than someone in Nigeria. It is because of this that talking about people living on "a dollar a day" is confusing - a dollar goes far further in their country than in ours.
Not to say that they don't live in incredible poverty by the way, they do, but not quite as much as we think.
Big Macs are different from dollars in that they are a standard item that is only worth so much, no matter where you are in the world.
Jesus, why o why did you have to mention a bigmac? I'm gonna want one now for the rest of the day! Bastard!
Dominant Redheads
07-09-2005, 19:23
twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesemeseedbun
:) :D
Arkangle
07-09-2005, 19:24
Jesus, why o why did you have to mention a bigmac? I'm gonna want one now for the rest of the day! Bastard!
Why? They taste disgusting! I would even go as far as to say that they're vomit-worthy
Kryozerkia
07-09-2005, 19:29
twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesonionsonasesemeseedbun
:) :D
Uhm...what the hell did you just say? :confused:
Dominant Redheads
07-09-2005, 19:33
Uhm...what the hell did you just say? :confused:
Years and years ago there were commercials about Big Macs where they said the ingredients as fast as they could.
two all beef patties
special sauce
lettuce
cheese
pickles
onions
on a sesame seed bun
Except I spelled sesame wrong in the first post. :(
The New Diabolicals
07-09-2005, 22:35
Jesus, why o why did you have to mention a bigmac? I'm gonna want one now for the rest of the day! Bastard!
Yes that is because they inject opium into the burgers. Honest! It is to make you addicted to them and is on the threshold of legality.
The New Diabolicals
07-09-2005, 22:37
Because a Big Mac is a standardised item that takes a standardised amount of resources to produce, no matter where in the world it is produced. Big Macs cost the same the world over, even though you have to hand over more or less actual cash depending on the country, since in Industrialised countries you have to pay more for your goods. The reasons are complex but in the West we pay far more for a Big Mac or a T-Shirt than someone in Nigeria. It is because of this that talking about people living on "a dollar a day" is confusing - a dollar goes far further in their country than in ours.
Not to say that they don't live in incredible poverty by the way, they do, but not quite as much as we think.
Big Macs are different from dollars in that they are a standard item that is only worth so much, no matter where you are in the world.
But in places where the resources are rare they cost more to make. Like if there was a McDonalds in the Sahara Desert.
I know that's crazy, it should be a Burger King!
But in places where the resources are rare they cost more to make. Like if there was a McDonalds in the Sahara Desert.
I know that's crazy, it should be a Burger King!Are you sure there are no McDoanlds in the Sahara? I seem to recall being told about one in Rabat . . ..
The Big Mac Index is a weak sauce attempt at analyzing the Purchasing Power Parity of currencies.
It's ok for quick examination, but if you want to do serious business where foreign exchange is invovled it's best to use other, more accurate, indices.
As to why they would choose the Big Mac over another product? It's sold almost everywhere across the world so it's easy to compare prices.
Also, it's quirky and economists get off on that kind of thing... or so I hear...