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‘Disclaimers’ produced a battery of comments, from the doctor who pointed out that the medical profession are not allowed to use them to the business lady who makes the point that they may often be illegal.  Trouble is this is a one-sided law with little reference to justice.

Today – beyond disclaimers to externalised costs.

There can be few more infuriating responses to a phone call you are making than “Your call is important to us” followed by an indefinite period of reminders about this demonstrably untrue observation. But you should be proud; you are an externalised cost. It can’t get much better than that.

We used to call them queues. In today’s jargon-obsessed world this is not grand enough, hence the pompous, patronizing expression ‘externalised cost’. But you are in a queue, however they say it. The reason you must queue is because your time is of no value (they think) while theirs is priceless (they know).

As you sit in the bank waiting to get at a little of your money you might ponder the incredible profits your bank has made, partly by externalizing you as a cost. Actually, you can’t. Banks do not leave their annual reports lying around in queuing areas. I am sure you can guess why.

We’ve all seen the joke about the bank customer who demanded the same caveats and attention from the bank as the bank demands from him. A laugh, maybe – but, for all of us, a hollow laugh. We’ve all been on the receiving end of lousy after-sales service under the accurately described ‘limited warranty’. Even medical waiting times, where doctors must have some latitude for the unplanned emergency, are quite excessive. How do I know that? Because I have seen better time planning in both GP’s surgeries and teaching hospitals.

It’s time we did something about it. So, what?

The balance between the corporation and the consumer has got totally skewed. That is because the powers that exist to prevent cartels and break up monopolies are not used. Why? Because those supposed to be exercising the powers are part of the corrupt system themselves.

Ralph Nader could force car manufacturers to improve safety in 1965 and his consumer protection work continued fruitfully for decades. It is time for a new Nader and a new approach to corporate power and the consumer. I describe it as a revision of capitalism to suit a modern world.

We’ll only get it if we ask for it.