Since when is taking advantage of a fool a moral victory?

[jim.powell@xxxxxxx]

     We all saw written:
     
     >>>
     If you had a deal with someone (even if you knew you were getting the 
     best of them) and they later asked for more you would think them 
     unethical, or at least I would.  You were lucky.  I ordered from 
     bookamillion and haven't received mine yet.  I hope to get it any day 
     now and not have to pay the extra.
     <<<
     
     My, my, my.  How low we have slithered into the gutter.  When I was 
     growing up I distinctly remember being taught it was wrong to take 
     advantage of people.  Do you?  DO YOU?  Companies are not bank 
     accounts.  Companies are people.  Stockholders, employees.  People 
     depending on a profit to pay their checks, feed their families.  Is it 
     wrong to keep incorrect change for a $20 at the store when a tenager 
     can't make change?  Is it wrong to cheat a volunteer at Salvation Army 
     because they are a little slow? No?  NO????  So just where does it 
     become ok to cheat someone?  Is it ok to cheat them if they make 
     10K/yr?  20K?  50K?  Just where do you check your ethics at the door 
     and put yourself first no matter what?
     
     There is a fellow digester that pulled his checkbook out this week and 
     prepared to write me a check for $300 for tires.  That was my original 
     asking price but I had come down to $250.  I corrected him.  I didn't 
     have too.  He has a lot of money.  His family appears to be wealthy.  
     Should I have cheated him?  Why?  Because he was a fellow Digester?  
     Because I was standing face-to-face with him.
     
     Well there are a lot of people that will trust me with their money 
     just on my word.  I like it that way.  I sleep well at night.  I'm no 
     saint.  I make my mistakes.  MISTAKES.  The day I conciously propose 
     ripping somebody off because they made an honest error and somehow try 
     to justify it, is the day I hope I drop dead.
     
     You people know who you out there forwarding this type of behaviour as 
     acceptable.  Why these idiots at the bookstores deserve to be ripped 
     off.  Teach 'em a lesson to be more careful.
     
     Rethink what you are saying or stay away from me.  I don't need to be 
     taken.  I don't need to be associated with people who would do it.  
     You only get one reputation.  Take care of it.
     
     Jim Powell
     

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