Micro-breweries have brought us an extended array of beers, with some outlets carrying nearly 400 kinds. We have more variety in soft drinks, tennis shoes, magazines, radio stations, martial arts classes, coffee, amusement parks, cereal, sport utility vehicles, toothbrushes and on and on. Variety and customization enrich our lives because they allow us to select characteristics we value highly, but to the statisticians every car is a white Chevrolet. Then there are preventive goods and services. Antilock brakes and air bags help prevent collisions and injuries.
Safety caps on pill bottles keep children from ingesting poison.
Fat-absorbing proteins allow overweight people to avoid expensive diet programs. A vaccine might someday eliminate tooth decay. But, meanwhile, we would have the benefit of the holes that aren't in people's teeth. The economy produces worth - that's what people want. Cost and value aren't always related, and they diverge even more as technology enables the economy to deliver more worth at less cost.