Klarinet Archive - Posting 000070.txt from 2003/12

From: Jeremy A Schiffer <schiffer@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Flea market finds
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2003 12:46:58 -0500

On Tue, 2 Dec 2003, Ken Wolman wrote:

> There he sees a twin-lens Rolleiflex camera, late
> Fifties/early Sixties, 120 film, built-in exposure meter, not only mint
> but still in the box with manuals, all in shrinkwrap ... the man was
> having heart palps when he saw the price penciled on the box: $125.00.
> The seller had no idea what he had or what it was worth. It sold.
>
> This is like one of those columns in the New York Times: "You Are The
> Ethicist." Did he rip off the owner who had no idea what he was selling
> or did the owner rip himself off by not bothering to learn about what
> he was selling, i.e., a family heirloom.

So long as the owner sets the price, there is no ethical dilemna about
paying what was asked, regardless of the market value of the product.

If, on the other hand, the owner said "I don't really know what it's
worth, so make an offer" and the other person responds with something
absurdly low knowing the real value, it _would_ be an unethical act
because he or she would be knowingly deceiving the owner for personal
benefit.

-jeremy
http://klezmer.org

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