Shot in the back over a matter of $80

A Deep Dive into Pop Culture Economics ::: Part 1

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So, We’ve all seen the Back To Future Trilogy,

Except my wife. She’s neither seen the movies nor has any interest in watching. Everyday is a struggle for me. But I persevere.

Poor Doc. He dies with a bullet in his back over $80. Now obviously, a fatal “sucker shot” to the back is Bad Form under any circumstances, but I’ve always wondered:

What is the 2022 equivalent crime of Buford “MadDog” Tannon shooting Doc in the back “Over a Matter of $80”?

I mean, would it make Good Morning America as a stunning tragedy?

Or is it so common, people barely care to notice? Perhaps 1885 Hill Valley is like Southside Chicago or Inner City Baltimore today? A lot of murder, no news.

Also, isn’t $80 dollars in 1885 like $8 Million dollars today? Was a horse like driving a Honda? Is it hard to come by whisky in the first place? So many questions and interpretations. Is it just one giant dump plothole?

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To answer this question, we’re going to break down the incident into the following Parts:

The Caliber of the Crime

1. Price vs Value principles for Purchasing

2. Inflation and equivalencies of a horse, whisky and $80

3. Other Miscellaneous Economics of it all

   1. Tombstone costs

   2. What happens to his blacksmith barn?

   3. What would they have done with him if he never met Clara?

The Social Reaction and Parallels

1. What is 1885 society like?

2. Who would actually care about this?

3. What happens to Buford Tannon?

4. What happens to Clara?

5. Other Miscellaneous concerns of it all

Should be entertaining. So let’s get started……