Peter Baida replies: I plead guilty to the charge of believing that “consumer choice shapes the economy,” and I’m not persuaded that my attachment to this “mythology” means that I’m inattentive to the economic history of the twentieth century. Anyone who is tempted to doubt the importance of consumer choice should count the number of Edsels parked outside the nearest department store, and compare it with the number of Toyotas.

For the rest, I apologize if I seemed to suggest that Ms. Rosenberg condones shoplifting, and I would like to repeat that, as I said in my column, I found much to admire in her essay, as well as much to question.