The other way to avoid it is to have the government step in and impose rationing, as done in times of war... at least, back when war meant the common American citizen was actually expected to sacrifice for the greater effort.

If the semiconductor shortage continues to worsen, I think we'll start to see calls for this type of intervention. One step that could be taken immediately is to prohibit sales from the distribution channel to overseas brokers, which are currently resulting in stupidity like $800 FPGAs that used to cost $20. But it's also true that this sort of market manipulation has downsides of its own.

I honestly don't know what the right thing to do here is. But I do know the industry had best unfuck itself, and that right soon, or this situation is going to have major consequences in everyday life.