Originally Posted by
bikemanbob
I hope your comment is tongue and cheek, but if not, no big deal. However, it seems to me that capitalism is founded on integrity and honesty. I want to deal with people of integrity, and hopefully, people see me as a person with integrity. If I have to lie or cheat to turn a buck, I would rather collect returnable bottles on the side of the road.
Yes, I was being a wise guy. But under pure capitalist theory, I believe that lying, misrepresentation, and that kind of thing are perfectly fine unless they extend to the point of getting you thrown in jail (which cuts into profits) or turns off customers to the point that they will no longer buy your products (which also cuts into profits). That's not to say that you can't be both a practicing capitalist and a decent human being--it's just that they're two separate things, and one doesn't imply the other.