Psychologist Mark Seidenberg (Wisconsin) writes:
Is there anything of ethical (or legal) interest in the VW scandal, from the perspective of a potential consumer?
I was ready to buy one of their cars (not diesel). My initial reaction to the revelations was that I would never buy a product from them again. Is there a principled ethical basis for this? The deception has been revealed and the company will pay billions in penalties, though that will not undue the damage that has been done to health and environment. Would giving them my money be a principled but meaningless token gesture? Would it be foolish because so many large corporations engage in deeply harmful practices? If people keep buying VW products would that be negative because it would mitigate the seriousness of their offense? Or would it be positive because, say, factory workers who were not complicit in the scheme might be less likely to be affected?
VW was founded by the Nazis and many Jews of my parents generation would not buy German products for many years. Boycotting them now seems almost petty in comparison.
I do not have to buy a car from VW but want to make a principled decision in any case. I would have no car if that were an option but it’s not.
Now, maybe there is some obvious principle involved that I don’t know, but others of your less-sophisticated readers might not either.
Any thoughts from readers on this?
