Ethics Thread

[turvis]

Can we move on? I think points were made...

No we can't this is the internet and I have make every one have the same opinion as me.

Note I would do those drunk emotes this forum has but I am on my phone.

 

[CGVT]

OK...

I've heard of people being upset because the the things the put on Freecycle are picked up by people selling them at flea markets and Craigs List.

Is this OK to you?

 

[mcbaumannerb]

I see no problem with that. You had the opportunity to sell it yourself (Craigslist/garage sale/flea market) but didn't think it was worth it. So if someone took it away for free (which in many cases is a big plus) what's the gripe?

 

[CGVT]

I really don't have a problem with it, but I wouldn't do it. I like to think that when I give something away it is going to someone who needs it, not someone that is using it to make a buck. (I know that it can be argued that the people that resell it need the cash...)

I kind of feel that if it I meant for it to be sold, I would have sold it myself.

I don't use Freecycle for that reason, but I have a guy that comes by every trash day and picks up good stuff from the curb. I've flagged him down and helped him load stuff that I was getting rid of into his truck...

 

[mcbaumannerb]

RIght ... we have people drive by every week on pick-up day and pull stuff out of the trash. I have to believe that they are doing the same thing though (since it is the same people every week.) Otherwise their houses would make even the most ardent pack-rat cringe.

 

[b-boy]

Yes let's I don't wanna see this get shut down. I have one that I do all the time. You go to a garage sale and see something you want but don't wanna pay what they're asking so you wait until night and take it out of the garbage. Is that unethical?

This hits close to home. I had a garage sale this summer. I had about 5 people show up to case the joint. Some of them showed up more than once. As soon as the sale ended and I tossed a few things, two of them showed up with a pickup and loaded everything into it.

It's not unethical. I'm the one that tossed the stuff, but it pissed me off.

They even asked me to help them load something - unbelievable.

 

[mcbaumannerb]

And as a follow-up ... if you give it away on freecycle you are saying you have no value left in this item. Either it is too much of a bother to sell yourself (for what you might get) or it is really garbage. If they can pick it up and find a way to make a buck from it then I say kudos. It's really no different than donating to Goodwill (other than the fact they are a charitable organization.)

 

[HoppyDaze]

I like dogs way better than people. I find them them to be the superior entity. Loyal, loving, protective, happy... etc. people suck. They don't deserve special consideration for being human IMO. The idea that humans are more valuable than anything else idea is part of why humans suck. Unreasonable blind faith in a book written by savages

 

[CGVT]

And as a follow-up ... if you give it away on freecycle you are saying you have no value left in this item. Either it is too much of a bother to sell yourself (for what you might get) or it is really garbage. If they can pick it up and find a way to make a buck from it then I say kudos. It's really no different than donating to Goodwill (other than the fact they are a charitable organization.)

No, I don't think that it has no value. I think it has no value to me. That doesn't mean that it is worthless.

I give things away because I think someone might be able to put it to use. If it has no value, I throw it away. I do think it is different than donating to Goodwill. That is why I give to Goodwill rather than use Freecycle

 

[CGVT]

This hits close to home. I had a garage sale this summer. I had about 5 people show up to case the joint. Some of them showed up more than once. As soon as the sale ended and I tossed a few things, two of them showed up with a pickup and loaded everything into it.

It's not unethical. I'm the one that tossed the stuff, but it pissed me off.

They even asked me to help them load something - unbelievable.

Wow. You should have charged them a loading fee

 

[aiptasia]

This hits close to home. I had a garage sale this summer. I had about 5 people show up to case the joint. Some of them showed up more than once. As soon as the sale ended and I tossed a few things, two of them showed up with a pickup and loaded everything into it.

It's not unethical. I'm the one that tossed the stuff, but it pissed me off.

They even asked me to help them load something - unbelievable.

Post Katrina, we saw a huge influx of Haitians in our area. Every single garage sale we have had since, they show up at some point and try to talk us down on high end baby clothes and toys (some as high as a whole dollar, most in the 25-50 cents range). I had one lady offer me a nickel for a whole box.

She took the hike I asked her to.

About a year ago, I worked as a software trainer for a self storage corporation and found out the company has more problems with late and non-payments (i.e., auctions) from Haitians than any other ethnic group in the area. This didn't surprise me at all. They'll fill storage units with the cheapest possible purchased goods and then resell them back in Haiti.

Since this started happening, whenever we finish up a garage sale, we'll keep anything that can possibly be re-sold at some future date, or we just cart the remainders over to our local Goodwill and let them have it.

 

[Lushife]

This hits close to home. I had a garage sale this summer. I had about 5 people show up to case the joint. Some of them showed up more than once. As soon as the sale ended and I tossed a few things, two of them showed up with a pickup and loaded everything into it.

It's not unethical. I'm the one that tossed the stuff, but it pissed me off.

They even asked me to help them load something - unbelievable.

I would never ask the guy to help me load the stuff. Anytime I ever waited for it get thrown out they were asking some ridiculous price for it. I have had other garbage pickers get a little territorial with me and wanna take everything in the garbage. That pisses me off. I mean save something for someone else especially if they need it and you're just getting it to sell.

 

[b-boy]

Wow. You should have charged them a loading fee

If it was me, I'd have at least waited till dark. No shame whatsoever.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Well, just to play devil's advocate, they did do you the service of getting it off your hands...

 

[mcbaumannerb]

Well, just to play devil's advocate, they did do you the service of getting it off your hands...

and keep it out of landfills.

 

[CGVT]

That and the fact that garage sales are waaaaay too much work is the reason I don't have garage sales. I'd rather give away that old crock pot than sell it for 3 bucks... If something is worth enough to sell by itself I may sell it on Craigslist (sold a pretty new gas dryer when I moved to a place without gas hookups) or give it away. Smaller stuff usually goes to a local mission or Goodwill.

Anything that goes on the curb is free for the taking.

 

[b-boy]

Well, just to play devil's advocate, they did do you the service of getting it off your hands...

Good point.

Most of the good stuff went back in the house or to Goodwill anyway. If I didn't recognize the 'pickers' it wouldn't have bothered me, but they showed up at the garage sale in the morning, and right before we closed. I knew what they were doing.

I live on a busy road, so I can pretty much guarantee that if I put something by the curb it will be gone in a few hours. I'd rather recycle it than have it end up in a landfill anyway.

 

[b-boy]

Here's an ethical issue. This just happened to me today and I'm wondering if I did the right thing.

I had a really bad neighbor living next to me for about 10 years. We're talking serious 'white trash'. The guy's yard looked like a landfill. He had old bikes, furniture, lumber, and all sorts of crap piled in his yard. He was a hot-head and a little nuts (IMHO). He and his entire family borrowed my tools, borrowed food, borrowed money and pretty much drove me and the rest of the neighborhood nuts. These people had their power, gas, water, and phone shutoff about once a month. I could tell you stories you would not believe. I stayed semi-friendly with him just to keep the peace.

He finally lost his house because he hadn't paid his mortgage in a few years (Yes - I said years - thank you HARP). Somehow he got another house with some money he had stashed and abandoned the old house. Before he left he trashed his old house. He stripped the doors, dismantled his deck, took plumbing fixtures, and completely destroyed the inside of the house. Most of the stuff he took to his new house to use there. He even attempted to tear down his fence until the other neighbor threatened to call the police. He still shows up during the night every now and again and gets into the house even though there are signs posted that the property has been abandoned and entrance is prohibited.

Today I was walking my dog and I noticed movement in the house. I looked in the window and saw 3 cats running around in the house. The guy never took his cats with him when he moved! I'm guessing he left them to destroy the house! I can't imagine what it must smell like in there. He must be feeding them, but I can't say for sure. I got really pissed. It's bad enough he's destroyed the house, but leaving his pets locked in this house for months was too much for me.

I called the cops, told them about the cats, and that he's been getting into the house at night. They showed up and verified that the cats are in the house and will call animal control to get them tomorrow. In the mean time they are going to go talk to him about this. I have no idea how much trouble he may get into.

I'm usually a live-and-let-live kind of person, but this kind of pushed me over the edge. Still, I'm feeling a little conflicted about it now. The guy has enough problems without the police showing up at his door.

 

[WildGingerBrewing]

Sounds to me like you did the right thing! Thats tough to deal with but its your property values.

Sitting i a restaurant. 7 people will be on my tab. Bill will be approx $150. Is it wrong to have my 13 year old order from the 12 and under kids menu to save me a couple bucks? 😃

 

[Lushife]

Sounds to me like you did the right thing! Thats tough to deal with but its your property values.

Sitting i a restaurant. 7 people will be on my tab. Bill will be approx $150. Is it wrong to have my 13 year old order from the 12 and under kids menu to save me a couple bucks? dde03

No, it's the same food no matter how old she is.

 

[WildGingerBrewing]

No, it's the same food no matter how old she is.

Unfortunately for me, my wife didnt understand what i was insinuating. Daughter ordered off the adult menu! Oh well. Oldest daughters 19th birthday so having the whole family together is worth the extra $4!

 

[b-boy]

Unfortunately for me, my wife didnt understand what i was insinuating. Daughter ordered off the adult menu! Oh well. Oldest daughters 19th birthday so having the whole family together is worth the extra $4!

I miss those days when I could feed my kids for $3.99.

 

[SharonaZamboni]

Here's an ethical issue. This just happened to me today and I'm wondering if I did the right thing.

I had a really bad neighbor living next to me for about 10 years. We're talking serious 'white trash'. The guy's yard looked like a landfill. He had old bikes, furniture, lumber, and all sorts of crap piled in his yard. He was a hot-head and a little nuts (IMHO). He and his entire family borrowed my tools, borrowed food, borrowed money and pretty much drove me and the rest of the neighborhood nuts. These people had their power, gas, water, and phone shutoff about once a month. I could tell you stories you would not believe. I stayed semi-friendly with him just to keep the peace.

He finally lost his house because he hadn't paid his mortgage in a few years (Yes - I said years - thank you HARP). Somehow he got another house with some money he had stashed and abandoned the old house. Before he left he trashed his old house. He stripped the doors, dismantled his deck, took plumbing fixtures, and completely destroyed the inside of the house. Most of the stuff he took to his new house to use there. He even attempted to tear down his fence until the other neighbor threatened to call the police. He still shows up during the night every now and again and gets into the house even though there are signs posted that the property has been abandoned and entrance is prohibited.

Today I was walking my dog and I noticed movement in the house. I looked in the window and saw 3 cats running around in the house. The guy never took his cats with him when he moved! I'm guessing he left them to destroy the house! I can't imagine what it must smell like in there. He must be feeding them, but I can't say for sure. I got really pissed. It's bad enough he's destroyed the house, but leaving his pets locked in this house for months was too much for me.

I called the cops, told them about the cats, and that he's been getting into the house at night. They showed up and verified that the cats are in the house and will call animal control to get them tomorrow. In the mean time they are going to go talk to him about this. I have no idea how much trouble he may get into.

I'm usually a live-and-let-live kind of person, but this kind of pushed me over the edge. Still, I'm feeling a little conflicted about it now. The guy has enough problems without the police showing up at his door.

You really had to call because of the cats. It's wrong to have them living in an abandoned house.

 

[turvis]

My question is did they pay back the money and return the tools if not I wouldn't have an issue with it. Also he put him self in that situation and he has to deal with the consequences.

 

[b-boy]

My question is did they pay back the money and return the tools if not I wouldn't have an issue with it. Also he put him self in that situation and he has to deal with the consequences.

Still owes me a few hundred. Wrote that off years ago.

 

[WildGingerBrewing]

Holy crap! $260!!!!!! Guess i should've made her order from the kids menu afterall!!!

 

[turvis]

Still owes me a few hundred. Wrote that off years ago.

Don't feel bad its called payback

 

[b-boy]

Holy crap! $260!!!!!! Guess i should've made her order from the kids menu afterall!!!

Yikes... Hope the food was good.

 

[headbanger]

I suspect if it wasnt for hbt while on the crapper, there would be about half the total posts!

In the first place your priorities are all smurfed up.. You should be looking at porn while on the crapper at work.

Secondly, you should be happy and take pride in the fact that someone else is paying you to make the stinky stinky.

I feel a little bit disappointed myself whenever I have to make some stinky on my own time. I find myself thinking that it would be much better stinky if I were making it on company time.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned but for some reason I just really like getting paid to make some big stinky.

 

[WildGingerBrewing]

Yikes... Hope the food was good.

It was damn good!