12 January 2007

Questionable Morality

A friend of mine asked me where i came up with the name A Moral Compass. I told him i heard it on a re-run of CSI. A Moral Compass is only a tool that can point you in the direction of Morality. It is entirely up to you to follow the Compass.

So then he poses this situation: He is at a friends house when these shady looking sorts arrive. These shady fellers are offering to sell some merchandise at a reduced price. The price is about 25% of the value. This merchandise is new in the box. This merchandise is something you would like to own. Do you buy it? What is the right thing to do?

I ask him, Do you think the wares are stolen? he replies, probably. To me the conversation is over and the question is answered. If you feel that the goods are stolen they probably are. Anything else is just rationalizing the situation for a good deal.

So my question to you is, if you're not sure if the goods are stolen, should you buy them? You could really argue both sides of this one. It could be that this guy received these goods as a Christmas present and doesn't want them. What would you do?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think that the real question is....Is the moral thing to do in this situation not to buy the object or is that not enough. Should you turn this person in? Because if your not going to do anything about the person stealing than why not be the guy who gets the "good deal". So if you can not prove that the items are stolen, then you can't turn him in, so there is nothing immoral about recieving property at a discounted price that you payed for out of your hard earned money. You didn't steal anything. They came to you because you are the guy with a job and can afford it. Take your good fortune and don't ask questions.

Biggun6969 said...

Hey Ricky, it sounds like a good idea until it is your shit they stole and are selling it out of the back of their van. Morals is not a sometimes thing, is it an all the time thing. You can't have morals when it is convenient. Later.

Ray said...

Well Ricky, if you are not sure the goods are stolen, it is not your job to turn them in. If you are sure beyond a reasonable doubt, then turn them in. If people like you would stop buying items from people like them, maybe they wouldn't have a need to steal other peoples stuff. Everyone has an opinion. Most opinions are a matter of perspective. I promise that like Biggun6969 said, if your stuff was ever stolen, you would look at it differently. I still stand that the goods should not be purchased.

Anonymous said...

Being as it is that these items were brand new and still in the box, I am pretty sure it wasn't stolen from an individual. I will gander to say that it was more like a retailer such as Wal Mart. Whom, I am sure did not take it as personal as an individual and will certainly right that shit off of it's 70% profit margin. Moral still in tact.

Ray said...

OK Ricky, since it was stolen from a corporation, it is OK. WOW what a set of morals you must have. You are not Robin Hood. Stealing from those that can afford it is still stealing.

Anonymous said...

Either way, someone is going to buy the merchandise, stolen or not...so why not Ricky? His money is good...isn't it?

Biggun6969 said...

Hey frfu681, just because it is a great deal or the fact that I you don’t get it some else will doesn’t mean you have to buy it. I am sure the temperature will be the same in hell whether you buy known stolen goods from my house or from Wal-Mart. Later.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry I have said 6 our fathers and 6 hail mary's, so I think I am good. No hell for me today.

Dave said...

I'm new to this blog, and maybe it's been pointed out, but the URL is also easily read as Amoral Compass.