2001-05-11 - 1:38 a.m.

Poor Mrs Landingham

Caution: This entry contains mild spoilers for the 5/9/01 episode of "The West Wing".

It strikes me as odd that our society adores charity work but makes fun of people who pay too much for their stuff.

When I shop, I consider the seller's situation when I haggle. At ABC Warehouse, I dicker them down as cruelly as I can. I once worked at ABC Warehouse, and believe me, some of those guys would sell their knocked-up grandma if the commission was right. I do to them as they'd do to me.

On the other hand, when I bought my .45 at a Mom-n-Pop gun store in Romulus, I paid sticker and liked it. I might have saved $19 if I made a jerk of myself, but I feel certain they need that money more than I do. Furthermore, I want that store to be there next time I buy a pistol. They treated me right. I do the same thing in many other situations, using the same sort of criteria.

If Mrs Landingham had stopped in the street and given a few hundred bucks to a homeless drug addict, everyone on the show would have admired her compassion. She gave it to a car salesman and the guy who owned the dealership instead, and they all thought she was stupid. Do we secretly hate people who work for a living?

Previous entry: Range Day

Next entry: Disposable Toys