WARNING: ravings of an old street preacher follow. Don't read this unless you're incredibly bored. Hell, I wrote it and I'm embarrased to get caught reading this.
I've been thinking about this all day. I've come to realize it's not just sniping the kind of bothers me, it's the bigger picture. Seaweb will get what I'm talking about because he's lost sleep over this and he needed the pats on the head you folks just provided.
So- "Nothing personal- it's just business" and "I was just following orders" are phrases that have come to bug me. I wonder if there is a line that one decides not to step over. "Up to here is OK. Over there is bad/ unethical/ a sin/ against the law/ will make me lose sleep/ (whatever)" But I also wonder if there is any kind of basic "TRUTH", or does the line move as we get used to something? Sort of like pornography when that Supreme Court judge said "I can't define pornography, but I know it when I see it." Well, not too long ago, what your kids watch on Saturday morning would have been considered porn. We are living in an ecomomic world that is changing faster all the time, and I wonder if the ethics or rules are changing too. A little over 100 years ago, people had kids to work the farm. Then they moved into cities and laws had to be inacted to prevent child slave labour in factories. Not too long ago, anything from Japan was considered junk. Today they make some of the best quality products available. Made in America doesn't mean too much except that it's probably too expensive. Everyone complains about the cost of living as they pull into WalMart where they won't carry a product unless it's made in China. Millions of jobs are going to India, China, Mexico so big companies can pay lower wages and dump their waste in the nearest river. Notice any prices going down as a result of all that cost saving? So, when does "just business" get personal? It's great if you live in China. Not so good here when your pension gets ripped off, or your factory shuts down, or that computer job you thought would last forever because they can't do THAT without without YOUR knowledge goes to India.
So- the economy has been profoundly affected by 2 venues for hobbies that someone had the chutzpah to figure out how to capitalize on; The Antiques Road Show and ebay. These 2 entities have discovered each other and hold hands as they walk off into the sunset. I have a fear that ebay will turn into a war of snipers. Possibly the fun will go out of it. Yes, there are a lot of rubes out there who do it for fun. The rubes will get hurt as the pros shove their elbows in the losers ribs mumbling "get out of the way." Then, I predict, the costs will go up. Ebay and paypal already nickle and dime a seller to death. But buyers who are serious about getting something they need will have to start paying for more and more sophisticated technology in order to win anything on ebay.
Well, #$%*. I don't know where this is going... I guess my motorcyles are my love, my hobby. I have to deal with "business" all week. When I was in my 20s-30s life was simple. Now with a house, wife, medical plan, blah blah blah, I would just like to think I can wander over to the store and pick up a set of plugs and bench race for 1/2 hour with out having to think I have to wade through more serious business.
And what's worse- I still believe in the "Golden Rule". Probably why I'm not rich, but the only thing that keeps me awake at night is when it's too cold to get up and go to the bathroom.
That's it. I know I'm a crackpot. I think I'll go sit down and start a good book- let you ace mechanics have at it.
