undefined | Better HN

0 pointsroenxi1y ago0 comments

How many CEOs & owners have you vetted when making purchases? CEOs are a pretty shady crew as a class of people; it attracts people who like power and they are the dangerous ones. Or people who are single-minded in their focus and they tend to come with a raft of unusual views and personalities. And even after vetting, you're probably just biasing your purchases in favour of CEOs who do image management rather than people you'd actually like to support.

If you're buying cars based inversely on how much money the company owner has, you're implicitly ruling out a lot of good options. It is using the language a bit loosely but in some relevant sense we'd expect people who make the most cost-effective products to make the most profit.

0 comments

ascorbic1y ago

When I see a Tesla, I think of Elon. When I see another car I don't think of whoever the CEO is, because I don't know who that is. For better or worse, Tesla=Elon in most people's eyes. He had made himself the figurehead, and is an extremely divisive figure. I didn't like feeling that I was implicitly supporting him whenever I got into my car.

throwaway7ahgb1y ago

You could apply this same thought reasoning with the trolly problem.

You know one CEO but not the others. The others could be worse people overall but they choose to hide it. So you make a decision based off a known bias.

I don't think you're irrational for making this decision, it's just interesting. It's something I've never done.

ascorbic1y ago

I'm not boycotting it because I'm under the illusion that it will affect Elon in any way. I am avoiding it because it makes me feel ick whenever I get in it and am forced to think of him. I also I don't want other people to think I support him.

ben_w1y ago

I know what you mean, but there's a few other companies who I boycott because they (or their CEO) said or did something that disgusted me, and I've had no reason to go back later and see if it's been corrected.

Ages ago now, 2009, there was an advertising scandal about Toyota: https://www.fastcompany.com/1390534/toyota-terrorizes-consum...

It's stuck with me ever since. I can't feel comfortable with the idea of buying a Toyota, knowing it might encourage stuff like that.

And I have absolutely no idea who their CEO is or was, even though that's just a quick search away if I ever need to actually find out.

Larrikin1y ago

I don't know the name of a single other car company's CEO. If they are in the news or a topic of conversation among friends for a questionable or objectionable reason, I will evaluate them. Terrible people can be unknown for long periods of time, but it's not worth my time to investigate everyone just to be fair to Musk and his fans.

rpmisms1y ago

I mean, Mary Barra is a generally distasteful person, and I refuse to buy any GM product. Those two facts aren't related, but still.

ZeroGravitas1y ago

"It is better to be silent and be thought a sociopathic fascist, than to speak and remove all doubt!" -- Mark Twain

vsuperpower20201y ago

"sociopathic fascist" wasn't on my redditer bingo card today.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointsroenxi1y ago0 comments

0 comments

ascorbic1y ago

throwaway7ahgb1y ago

You could apply this same thought reasoning with the trolly problem.

You know one CEO but not the others. The others could be worse people overall but they choose to hide it. So you make a decision based off a known bias.

I don't think you're irrational for making this decision, it's just interesting. It's something I've never done.

ascorbic1y ago

ben_w1y ago

Ages ago now, 2009, there was an advertising scandal about Toyota: https://www.fastcompany.com/1390534/toyota-terrorizes-consum...

It's stuck with me ever since. I can't feel comfortable with the idea of buying a Toyota, knowing it might encourage stuff like that.

And I have absolutely no idea who their CEO is or was, even though that's just a quick search away if I ever need to actually find out.

Larrikin1y ago

rpmisms1y ago

I mean, Mary Barra is a generally distasteful person, and I refuse to buy any GM product. Those two facts aren't related, but still.

ZeroGravitas1y ago

"It is better to be silent and be thought a sociopathic fascist, than to speak and remove all doubt!" -- Mark Twain

vsuperpower20201y ago

"sociopathic fascist" wasn't on my redditer bingo card today.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse