I went to check out Bitch's plea for help this morning and was super happy to see that they've reached their goal and can put out another issue. Yay!

This incident, combined with reading Atlas Shrugged recently, really got me to thinking though. I'm not an economist, so bear with me as stumble through this thought process.

If a product can't support itself through its normal business practises, doesn't that there's either a) something wrong with the product, or b) something wrong with their business model? Is it reasonable to expect that a failing product with either be propped up by the government or survive through the charity of the average person? I sort of think it's not.

I recognize that for me to have access to something that's not "mainstream" I'm going to pay more, and I think that makes perfect sense. I've bought many issues of Bitch in the past, and although I don't remember how their pricing is, I assume it's probably higher than the average magazine. I have no issue with that whatsoever... what they sell is worth way more to me than the $5 or whatever I'd spend on some brainless gossip magazine or a lame fashion magazine that's going to talk down to me and tell me to buy a $500 purse. In the same way that I will happily pay way more for a meal in a good restaurant or any other higher quality product -- it's worth it. On the other hand, for whatever reason I've never cared enough about Bitch to actually buy a subscription. Why not?

So for a bunch of reasons, both because the publishing industry is not doing well at the moment, and Bitch caters to a niche audience, Bitch isn't doing well. That's a sign of the times, I think -- and doesn't it make sense that nature/the market should take it's course and Bitch (in its current form, at least) should fail? (I say this even though on an emotional level I would hate for that to happen.) I believe in giving money to charities you support, but I don't necessarily believe in propping up failing businesses. On the other hand, how do you tell the difference between the two in this case? If I believe in Bitch's message, shouldn't I be willing to give them extra money so they can survive?

I didn't give them anything this time around, by the way. I thought about it, and didn't for a bunch of reasons, one of them being that I just don't have a ton of extra cash kicking around at the moment. I do think, however, that I'm going to buy a subscription very shortly. I can do that with a clear conscience. :)