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"Bargain" A Market in Beijing, China AFter spending months in counties where bargaining is expected, I became really good at standing my ground and forcing the price down to whatever I was willing to pay. Almost too good. I remember one day being particularly adamant about the price and the street vendor simply scoffed at me and called me crazy. "Part of the game," I thought, as I continued. Five minutes later we were still bargaining, the vendor demanding 15 Yuen more that I would pay. Suddenly it hit me. Here I was in China, clearly enormously privileged simply by being there, fighting over $2-the equivalent cost of a coffee at Starbucks! Blinded by the money. I didn't realize that I was bagaining away my values. |
