There may be no better illustration of the basic laws of supply and demand than when tickets go on sale for a wildly anticipated concert or sporting event — the World Series, say, which the Toronto Blue Jays are in the midst of contesting for the first time in 32 years. You can literally go on Ticketmaster’s website and watch resale prices fluctuate in real time. And you can appreciate just how much people are willing to pay to see the Jays, come hell or high water, or four-digit ticket prices: For games in Toronto, resellers have been asking no less than $1,000 for the cheapest seats.

It’s a bit like prostitution, or addiction, or any of the other ancient crimes and vices: Only a fool would think they can be eliminated. The difference is that selling people luxury goods for what they’re

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