From: Barbara Lamar (barbaralamar@sanmarcos.net)
Date: Wed Jun 05 2002 - 22:52:36 MDT
Randall Randall wrote:
>
> > I'll avoid doing business with you, Mr. Crocker, if you
> believe that "an
> > excessive desire to acquire or possess, as wealth or power,
> beyond what one
> > needs or deserves" is a noble thing.
>
> 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.
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.
Barbara Lamar
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