Flannel Jesus wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 7:42 pm
I was looking at this thread
https://www.reddit.com/r/therewasanatte ... l_jordans/
and this question occurred to me:
What's the ethical difference between a scalper and any ol' store that buys goods from wholesale places and sells them for a profit?
Forgive me if the solution is obvious and very basic, I'm just coming up blank here.
In the olden days of barter trading, someone could have "scalped" someone in exchanging a chicken for a cow. Assuming there is no coercion, this is basic economics principle of Supply vs Demand.
Assuming there is no coercion, misrepresentation, basically there is no difference between a scalper and any ol' store that buys goods from wholesale places and sells them for a profit - its supply vs demand plus Caveat Emptor.
If there are laws that stipulated it is illegal to sell those things without a proper business license, the only ethical consideration is that of breaking rules and be exposed to possible penalties within the rules [political or social].
Note, I view Ethics-General as encompassing Morality-proper and Ethics-proper.
Morality-proper focus on evil acts while Ethics-proper focus on virtues and general 'good' behaviors' both pertain to the well-beings of the individual[s] and therefrom humanity.