(August 6, 2022 at 7:30 pm)John 6IX Breezy Wrote: If I purchase an apple from you for $10, am I ethically responsible for the pack of cigarettes you subsequently bought with that money?
In a small-scale example like the apple and cigarettes, I don't think I have a responsibility to quiz the fruit stand guy whether he's living a healthy lifestyle. It's no practical to submit questionnaires to vendors.
In larger scale cases, though, we should probably look both ways: how the goods were produced and what is done with the profits.
It's probably easier in most cases to think about how the product got to market. So I know that fast fashion companies underpay workers, steal designs, and trash unsold products in a way that's bad for the environment. It's less obvious to me what happens to the profits. Does Mr. Zara fly his private plane everywhere? Is he funding Neo-Nazis? If I knew these things they'd factor into my decision.
In some cases we do know where the profits go. Oil companies spend millions on climate change denial, or on lawyers to avoid paying penalties for pollution.
Some companies use their profits as propaganda. You know the Sackler Galleries in many museums around America, where lovely art exhibitions are sponsored. These are made possible by profits from America's opioid addiction. Before that it was Phillip Morris plastering its name all over shows at the Whitney and the Guggenheim. I think this has been stopped now, since hating cigarettes has become widespread.
It's hard to know details, and it's hard to avoid using some companies. But the more aware we are the better.
