A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned?

Penny

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Over at Dr. Boli's gloomy post for Halloween, a regular commenter named Greybeard left the following somewhat off-topic comment:

Dr. Boli, Why is it that my opinion is widely considered my two cents worth, but on the very rare occasions when people ask for it they only offer me a penny for my thoughts. Should I feel short-changed?

Dr. Boli had not yet replied at the time I read the comment, so I hazarded a response:

Greybeard, here's my two cents' worth:

The two cents' worth is based on a Marxian labor theory of value, for we all know every penny's worth of thought that goes into composing an opinion, but a penny for an opinion (assuming "a penny for your thoughts" means this) is based on a Capitalistic supply-and-demand theory of value, and we all know how far supply exceeds demand insofar as opinions are concerned. If you feel short-changed, confess to your priest, and do so soon, for you are thinking like a communist!

Dr. Boli's blog is a Catholic one, hence the advice to confess. As for those who purchase advice for one red cent . . . well, in this case, a penny saved is a penny spurned, to coin a phrase.

But most advice comes free of charge, so those who didn't pay saved two pennies worth of money . . .