I generally do my best to stay out of things like this, but sometimes I
can't help it...
I wholeheartedly agree with Denton here, and perhaps take it a step or two
further.
What I'm hearing a lot of in this thread is that one's ethics can/should be
determined by what others will let one get away with, or by what I feel
others "deserve". I strongly disagree. Personally, my ethics come
exclusively from inside me and dictate my way of dealing with the world
regardless how much attention the world is paying. If a camera dealer
traditionally screws people, that's his problem. I have no inclination to
join him in his dishonesty.
I see no justification or personal value in the "He's a good dealer, so
I'll be honest" and "He's a bad dealer, so I can screw him" attitudes or,
taking it a step further, "He may be good, but someone like him is bad,
therefore I can screw him". Had I acted as you did with the Adorama rep,
what would be on my mind is NOT how honest/dishonest he was or what a good
deal I got because he was trying to scam me or because he didn't know what
he was doing, but rather that I had lied in order to potentially profit.
MY actions are what matter to me, not the actions of others.
I don't know this camera dealer, will probably never meet him, and none of
my actions will ever change his ethics in the slightest. Nor will this
email change yours, for that matter. <g>
Regardless of how evil or good I perceive the camera salesman, the pawn
shop guy, etc. to be, I work hard at going to sleep each night knowing I
did the right thing. I miss out on some deals, I occasionally get screwed
by people, etc. but my respect for myself and my actions far outweigh the
screwings I occasionally get. At least in Dave's B ig Book of Important
Life Things.
Something I heard years ago and remember to this day: "Integrity is
defined as doing the right thing when nobody is looking."
'Nuff said.
Dave
> >If I am to live by Denton Taylor's ethics, I should have been honest to
> the guy at the local pawn shop who sold
> an OM-1n (ex++) w/ 50/1.8 (covered in fungus) for $35. Yes, $35! I should
> have said, "That 50/1.8 is a paper-weight, but the OM-1n has an average
sale
> price of $135 on Ebay.>
>
> You seem to have no understanding whatsoever of my ethics. If the price
was
> marked $35, and you paid it, wonderful. Not only wonderful, but perfectly
> honest. The fact that you consider this dishonest while thinking that
> ripping off camera dealers is honest shows you are seriously confused. My
> only objection to your original post was the fact that you claimed you
> didn't have a piece of information when you did. Which you have now made
> worse by stating that there are perfectly legitimate reasons for ripping
> off honest camera dealers.
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