Buying things specifically to sell for a profit.

[killbourne]

Haven't we beat this fucking horse to death?

Holy shit....

I am with you on that.

Somebody smack they guy who started this tread.

+1

[mcdonaldj]

Haven't we beat this fucking horse to death?

Holy shit....

I am with you on that.

Somebody smack they guy who started this tread.

From what I read, only person here has issue with the practice.

True the thread topic is getting redundant - the only two things I'm interested in now are:

1. Holy shit I have to watch saying the word retarded when I really mean stupid...as in 'that was a retarded thing to do'. It never crossed my mind how offensive that could be.

2. How the heck did you get 5 copies of The Shining S/L when we were limited to 1 per customer? I smell a secret book buying trick I need to learn. Although I didn't have a few thousand bucks lying around to buy them anyway and the terrible cover art would have me worried.

[tippy4]

I just asked four friends to buy them for me.

[bdwyer19]

So... what more needs to be said, before this thread gets archived?

[Jean]

just a quick question to all:

if you bought something your friend needed, would you re-sell it to him at a higher price? If the answer is negative, then we understand that the practice of re-selling something (obviously, I mean re-selling without adding any value to the original object) this way is not perceived as moral in interpersonal relationships. Buisiness is amoral by definition, so the bottom line may be that we should discriminate between what is personally (un)acceptable, and what is supposed to be (dis)allowed in a field that is intrinsically impersonal.

[AKC]

We have indeed offically beat this fucking horse to death.....

It's toast......

[Randall Flagg]

I am not going to close it, or archive it. If there is no interest, it will slowly drop off the first page. Once it drops, I will then archive it.

[Cook]

I am not going to close it, or archive it. If there is no interest, it will slowly drop off the first page. Once it drops, I will then archive it.

Fascinating thread, it has shown a different "flavor" to a few individuals here.

[Brice]

just a quick question to all:

if you bought something your friend needed, would you re-sell it to him at a higher price? If the answer is negative, then we understand that the practice of re-selling something (obviously, I mean re-selling without adding any value to the original object) this way is not perceived as moral in interpersonal relationships. Buisiness is amoral by definition, so the bottom line may be that we should discriminate between what is personally (un)acceptable, and what is supposed to be (dis)allowed in a field that is intrinsically impersonal.

I do not think business is intrinsically amoral. I think the line should be drawn on what is a need or a want. Not only would I not charge my friend $5 for a loaf of bread; I wouldn't charge my enemy that either. Of course I reserve the right to charge less (maybe even give it to them) than I would for a friend than an enemy or a stranger. When you get to discusing luxury items I'm still more inclined to give a deal to a friend than to an enemy, but less inclined to be as generous. I still might give a deal just not as nice of one as I might if it were something needed.

[TwistedNadine]

1. Holy shit I have to watch saying the word retarded when I really mean stupid...as in 'that was a retarded thing to do'. It never crossed my mind how offensive that could be.

Ditto. Other than this enlightenment the rest of this thread is useless except for it's entertainment value

[pathoftheturtle]

Sometimes I wonder whether it's the best idea, the way that we depersonalize strangers. Especially regarding necessities: "Price gouging" is illegal in the U.S. -- that refers to speculation in particular situations that we find especially objectionable. The practical result of friends getting lower prices is cozy little cliques and classes. Insider trading is also illegal, and stems from similar ethics and relationships. Another form of the same thing, really. Free market just means each person may discriminate as a fundamental right. We like to believe that capitalism ensures fairness, but it does not. If money did not exist, people would cheat each other and constantly take advantage, but thanks to money, people... cheat each other and constantly take advantage. Find a legitimate way to steal, and your wealth spends the same way as it would if you earned it the hard way. Further, "who you know" is provably the main factor in getting a job, and plainly a major advantage in landing a "good" position with easier work with higher pay.
But I'm not sure if that is still on-topic or not. Anyway, if all this thread ever does is make a few who didn't realize how offensive "retarded" can be aware, I still think that's time well spent. Most people just do it out of habit, without thinking about the meaning. The problem is that bullies predisposed to actual hatefulness pick up on all of that casual language and it makes them feel society in fact shares their attitude.

[Merlin1958]

retarded

lol, I won't be changing my language for you, or anyone else. Keep whining--it's hilarious. You don't get to tell me what to do. Got that?

]

You know, I had typed an actual response to this but fuck it, what's the point. Any adult who actually talks this way wouldn't get it. So here's a quick fuck you instead.

Well, I don't know. Assuming that some people are not worth the effort would seem to be the problem of saying that somebody "sounds retarded" in the first place. One can choose to be intractably ignorant, but I'd be careful jumping to conclusion that someone's deeply unrepentant. Maybe he just still doesn't see. I agree with Carlin, and as the information Jerome reported indicates, it may be harmless to refer to someone who is actually mentally challenged as "retarded" if the context is descriptive and not intending to disparage. I think it is important to be aware of what it implies about such people, however, if you warn someone whose opinion you don't like that they could be mistaken for one of them.

So far, all I've heard in the way of explaining why it's okay to engage in profiteering of the kind that I was talking about when this topic got kicked off is some variant of the following: "The system permits for it, and it worked for me, and that's all I care about." At the bottom of things, it's selfish behavior that fails to take into account other people's feelings.

That is a wholly unrealistic opinion to have. However, I do understand your point.

I don't think it is an inaccurate analysis of the arguments presented that none disprove the self-interest on that side of things. They mostly just point out that there is some degree of selfishness on the other side, too. Whether it's at all realistic for people in general to be more selfless, I don't know, honestly. But it is true that systemic wrongness doesn't absolutely justify a particular wrong, so it's fair to want people to at least say "I do understand your point." Nevertheless, unless you have a really practical method to help parties who might get a little screwed under the current system without more fundamentally screwing other parties, then it is NOT fair, really, to expect more than that.
James Whitcomb Riley's poem: My Philosofy

Dude, seriously, you've GOT to run for office!!! LOL J/K

[pathoftheturtle]

Dude, seriously, you've GOT to run for office!!! LOL J/K

Yeah; I still can't figure out whether that is a compliment or an insult.

[Merlin1958]

Dude, seriously, you've GOT to run for office!!! LOL J/K

Yeah; I still can't figure out whether that is a compliment or an insult.

LOL Have your people contact, my people!!! LOL

[Iwritecode]

Haven't we beat this fucking horse to death?

Holy shit....

I am with you on that.

Somebody smack they guy who started this tread.

From what I read, only person here has issue with the practice.

Don’t know if you’re talking about me or the person that made the original post in the other thread but I was just trying to spark some conversation. With this thread already going 3 pages, it looks like I have.



I've found that if people can remain civil, the topics where there are two obviously divided opinions make for some pretty interesting threads. It's usually the hot button topics like gun control, abortion or religion that get people going but this topic was different and I hadn't seen it discussed before.

Besides, if you don't like it you are free to ignore it.

[tippy4]

I was talking about you if you started the thread.....but I really did not want you actually smacked in the head.

That was my way of expressing my frustration with this thread.

An overwhelming majority of people have no problem with buying to resell, and a couple of people do.

There is not much else to say.

[neosatus]

[QUOTE=WeDealInLead;768216]

retarded

lol, I won't be changing my language for you, or anyone else. Keep whining--it's hilarious. You don't get to tell me what to do. Got that?

]

You know, I had typed an actual response to this but fuck it, what's the point. Any adult who actually talks this way wouldn't get it. So here's a quick fuck you instead.

[Kingfan24]

Path, I'll write a longer reply tomorrow night but more likely on Sunday. It comes down to this- using someone's sexual orientation, race or disability as a derogatry term directly states there is something wrong with any of those. They're words of hatred and discrimination. I saw what RF posted and took something else from it. Words are fluid and change meaning with time and enlightment. Can you imagine a society where dropping the N-bomb was still widely acceptable? When I take my daughter to see cartoons there are characters saying "moron." I wince every single time. How is that appropriate to teach our kids that their classmates' condition is a put-down? How is that in any way different from calling someone a fag?

As far as using "retarded" as a descriptive... dunno, I'm at work right now with two girls with disabilites. I could go ask them if they can think of any instance when using that word is not offensive to them. I'm sure what the answer would be though. I've seen some terrible things over the 12 years I've been doing this so I get a little emotional when an issue I care about comes up.

Lastly, anyone can use any words they wish. But there might be people who don't like it. You keep your right of speech but it pales next to a goddamn human rights issue and dignity. None of us are perfect and things slip out but a little empathy goes a long way. Imagine your daughter with a disability and ask yourself how you would react if some jackass used those terms.

Couldn't have said it any better myself

[neosatus]

Path, I'll write a longer reply tomorrow night but more likely on Sunday. It comes down to this- using someone's sexual orientation, race or disability as a derogatry term directly states there is something wrong with any of those. They're words of hatred and discrimination. I saw what RF posted and took something else from it. Words are fluid and change meaning with time and enlightment. Can you imagine a society where dropping the N-bomb was still widely acceptable? When I take my daughter to see cartoons there are characters saying "moron." I wince every single time. How is that appropriate to teach our kids that their classmates' condition is a put-down? How is that in any way different from calling someone a fag?

As far as using "retarded" as a descriptive... dunno, I'm at work right now with two girls with disabilites. I could go ask them if they can think of any instance when using that word is not offensive to them. I'm sure what the answer would be though. I've seen some terrible things over the 12 years I've been doing this so I get a little emotional when an issue I care about comes up.

Lastly, anyone can use any words they wish. But there might be people who don't like it. You keep your right of speech but it pales next to a goddamn human rights issue and dignity. None of us are perfect and things slip out but a little empathy goes a long way. Imagine your daughter with a disability and ask yourself how you would react if some jackass used those terms.

I have absolutely nothing against anyone with a disability--nor did I even vaguely indicate as much. Obviously the Carlin video went way above your head, douchebag.

Regarding your two girls.. it's offensive because you TEACH THEM that it's offensive. The same way that some people only feel abused after they are told that they were abused--regardless of if it even happened or not.
TL;DR -- Your ubersensitive bitch-made bullshit is what is teaching them to feel "offended".


And regarding your "people who don't like it" comment. You don't have to like it. And I don't have to like what you say, but I would never tell you you can't or shouldn't be able to say something.

It's like the theists that have the belief that blasphem is sinful. Some of those...it's enough for them that they don't blasphem themselves.
But other theists--that's not good enough. Other theists go one step further and tell others not to blasphem--they tell them that's wrong. They tell them to follow their rules.

You're that kind of person--telling other people that they must follow their beliefs.

[Kingfan24]

Don't bring religion into this - it's got nothing to do with it. I assume you think it's also okay to use words like f*g to describe homosexual men and women. C'mon man - it's not about free speech or us telling you not to say something. It's about what is socially acceptable, and what is morally right.

[neosatus]

Don't bring religion into this - it's got nothing to do with it. I assume you think it's also okay to use words like f*g to describe homosexual men and women. C'mon man - it's not about free speech or us telling you not to say something. It's about what is socially acceptable, and what is morally right.

lol, religion wasn't even the point. How sad is it that you can't see that?

Socially acceptable and morality isn't black and white. Not everyone has the same beliefs. That's what you're not grasping. The only thing you are grasping is the anxiousness to sit on the edge of your seat, ready to pounce on anyone who says something that you think you're SUPPOSED to be offended by. You're not even offended yourself--you're white-knighting for random disabled people who weren't even being talked about.

[Kingfan24]

No actually I'm not white knighting for anyone - I am offended by it because my cousins child is mentally handicapped, ass hole. I can't help it you think that you should be entitled to say whatever you want to t whomever you want to. Obviously I wasn't the only one offended - I'm done with this topic because this wasn't the time or place for this argument - but maybe you should be aware of what words carry what weight.

[neosatus]

Don't bring religion into this - it's got nothing to do with it. I assume you think it's also okay to use words like f*g to describe homosexual men and women. C'mon man - it's not about free speech or us telling you not to say something. It's about what is socially acceptable, and what is morally right.

Do you even know any homosexual women or men? They use that word themselves... and you know what most of them--in my experience--don't even care if a straight person uses that word. It's the mindless white knights that step up because they believe it's their duty to step up to defend them. Because they don't have anything better to do, or say? I don't know... but it's pretty silly.

[neosatus]

No actually I'm not white knighting for anyone - I am offended by it because my cousins child is mentally handicapped, ass hole. I can't help it you think that you should be entitled to say whatever you want to t whomever you want to. Obviously I wasn't the only one offended - I'm done with this topic because this wasn't the time or place for this argument - but maybe you should be aware of what words carry what weight.

But you ARE white knighting. You aren't offended because you're not even handicapped. That's what white knighting means... lol

[Kingfan24]

Actually I do - my best friend is homosexual and yes he DOES care when people use that word. He's been spit on, hit with beer cans, and mugged because he was a homosexual, as these people called him a f*g. So don't even go there before you start spouting off about things you don't know.