When we talk about prices, we make reference to the consumer price index (CPI). In reality, there is no such thing. Yes, the government assembles an index and, yes, it reports the results. Economists love the CPI and follow it closely. But, in the end, it is a statistical fiction, something that exists in the math but not in real life. It's not like a yardstick or the sea level. No prices are set by it. The CPI speaks of general trends, but it masks underlying realities.