[count-your-change]

What would be your incentive to share the room with others?
Fellow feeling, splitting the cost? Maybe but very unlikely.

More typical would be the attitude, I paid for it by myself, I'll use it by myself.

Sowell always makes valid points but anytime a hypothetical example is used certain things are assumed that may not be the case. Like the willingness of the moneyed renter to rent just one room when he can afford two.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”What would be your incentive to share the room with others?
Fellow feeling, splitting the cost? Maybe but very unlikely.”

Well if the rich guy has 4X the money I do to rent the room and I come up with more than that amount then I have a big incentive to find four other people to chip in with me. At least on the average.

Versus we all pay the same lower price. At a forced low price I as owner am more likely to rent it out to my own employees instead. More like ' to hell with you all deadbeats who think I owe you something'.

Sowell was brilliant in this case.