Like any of us here, I also hate scalpers to no end. But let’s be realistic here, there’s nothing Valve can do about scalpers (at least not legally). That was the reason for my question. Email Valve to let them know about scalpers, online or otherwise, then what?

Now, if everyone chose to never buy from scalpers, if everyone would prefer to miss out before paying horrible people ridiculous prices because of hype, scalpers would eventually disappear.

But just like avoiding mainstream social networks, the convenience of Google, Apple and Microsoft, enjoying same day delivery from Amazon or forking over an extra 40% to get food over Uber Eats instead of getting off of our asses to go get something to eat is unimaginable to most people out there, too many would rather spend a month’s worth of rent on things they want, but don’t really need due to FOMO.

You are absolutely correct in your statement.

If we want to block scalpers and predatory businesses (not talking about Valve here) we need to start somewhere. Some of us already do self-hosting, moved to Lemmy and Mastodon, and dropped Microslop for some type of Linux distros, but we’re a ridiculous minority.

In my case, some of the people in my life even started calling me to ask me for suggestions to start getting away from those companies, same people that told me I was paranoid and “voluntarily suffering for no reason” when i eliminated Facebook and WhatsApp. And, of course, even now that they see that I was right all along, when I say “close all the Meta bullshit” and such, the response is, invariably, but that’s how I communicate with everyone.

So, yeah, scalpers will keep scalping, predatory businesses will keep at it too, because they can, and there’s nothing any of us can do about it, other than sit back, relax, and watch all the users cry their eyes out when shit hits the fan. I’m pretty sure we’re not far from that moment.