The price we pay
Socially, being a geek and a gamer is far less of a stigma than it was even just 20 years ago. There's still some bias against us in some fields, and from some quarters, but, compared to yesteryear, it's minimal. However, again, I'm digressing on a tangent. This post is about prices in hard currency. A lot of people bemoan the rising cost of miniatures, particularly singling out certain big companies. These arguments tend to ignore the fact that the price of magazines, comic books, books, technology, food, and everything else has also increased in price by a similar amount. In actual fact, compared to 25 years ago, in many ways, miniatures are a lot cheaper in real terms. 20 years ago I was a student. I had £45 a week for food, stationery, printing, clothes, drinks, transport, books, mobile phone, miniatures, and all other incidentals. Nowadays, £45 would be a struggle to get by on, with the essentials needed covered, and no spare money for music, a mobile, travel, book...