From: Randall Randall (wolfkin@freedomspace.net)
Date: Wed Jun 05 2002 - 23:59:05 MDT
Barbara Lamar wrote:
> Randall Randall wrote:
>>Well, who decides what is "excessive"; what one "needs" or "deserves"?
>>
>>Since you're quoting that definition, I assume you believe that you
>>have a dollar figure above which a person is being greedy? Care to
>>share that figure, so we can all judge ourselves? :)
>
>
> Surely, Mr. Randall, in a business context, the dollar figure is a function
> of the value of the item you're offering in trade rather than a constant.
Really? One's profit should increase as a function of how much non-profit
revenue is being handled? If this isn't what you meant, my apologies. If
it is, it seems rather curious to me. Presumably this would mean that one's
needs increase as a function of how much others are willing to pay for one's
labor?
> Suppose you offer to sell me a widget, together with attachments A,B, and C,
> for $400.
> We both agree that the value of the attachments is $50 each.
> I give you $400.
> You deliver to me a widget with only attachment B.
>
> I would argue that what you deserved is an amount no higher than $300,
> assuming we both voluntarily entered into the trade. Thus, you have received
> an excessive amount.
Notice that if this transaction cum theft took place, it would substantially
reduce my ability to make future transactions of any sort, since you would
certainly no longer trust me enough to make a deal, and probably let others
know of my treachery. This would seem to mean that such a thing would be,
not greedy (i.e., maximizing benefit to me), but stupid.
-- Randall Randall <randall@randallsquared.com> Crypto key: randall.freedomspace.net/crypto.text ...what a strange, strange freedom: only free to choose my chains... -- Johnny Clegg
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