Ethics

By Pascal Fervor

Most everything I have written, or have wanted to write, has been driven by my disgust of the general decline of ethics I have witnessed. Sometimes the things I have failed to write about was because I feared I would provide too many ideas -- only because I complained -- to those too stupid to figure out a new scam on their own.

In other words, I have more qualms about what I write about than the majority of journalists and their publishers. In fact, should you ever wish to turn away a journalist, feel free to quote this: “I can’t tell you because your probably too stupid to know not to repeat it.” (If nothing else, this will get their competitors to fawn over you in an effort to get you to spill the beans. Well, I did mention how they were stupid. Test: Is it an honor to be elevated or denigrated by the stupid?) Not clear enough? Should you wish an example of precisely what is not ethical, you need look no further than near all Mainstream Media. It taints whomever it favors.

The man who set the pattern for my expectations and personal standards passed away this morning.

In business from the end of WWII until his retirement in the late 70s, my Dad was not religious and didn’t hold in high esteem most who made a big show of their religiosity. However, Dad conducted himself in such a manner that it would seem he felt he had Someone watching him at all times. He would say it was he himself.

He never made a big killing in business, nor did he try. This despite him having known some hard times as a kid and later, as a family man, when he couldn’t be sure whether or not he could make ends meet. But somehow he managed to live comfortably and put three kids through school and keep him and his wife comfortable and traveling wherever they wished for the remainder of his life.

A story about my Dad came to me from his colleagues. At this time he was the sales manager for a moderately sized, closely held manufacturer. Every once in a while they would come up with an item that was very hot and in demand by retailers large and small. Like all in his line of business, the procedure was to make the sales before the retail value of the property had a chance to be known. Some lines they might guess to be good, and price accordingly, and others were standard fare that they’d sell again and again from year to year. Standard business practices. You must make profit to survive. Sizable profits preferable to smaller -- no big surprise.

Well this one time there was a line that became unexpectedly hot. Everyone wanted some. Buyers, being human, would do what they could to bring the line into their stores.

Now Dad made a habit of being a man of his word, and felt it important that he stick by a commitment once made. And I’m not talking written contracts; verbal only. Now such a man – I have since learned on my own – are attractive targets of some who are of the belief that every man has his price. It’s like a game to them.

Well, this one, Super Buyer, figured he’d discover my Dad’s price. Dad had told him the line was taken up, but that in the reruns, if Super Buyer would wait, he’d be happy to sell some of those to him. How many did Super Buyer want?

Apparently that is either too risky in the business, because the item’s hot marketability can run out, or buyers are simply looking to beat each other out (or whatever, I’m not really sure since that isn’t and never was my business).

Anyway, Super Buyer made a suggestion to my Dad to cut the throat of another known and smaller retailer for additional buys of some of Dad’s other slower selling items. Dad told him, sorry, he didn’t do business like that. But Super buyer keeps talking. And Dad, not wanting to be uncharitable or rude or alienating, lets him talk. Now I know, being his ever-loving and limit-testing son, that there is a limit to Dad’s patience. And business or not, there could be a problem.

I am not sure where, but at some point Dad smiles. Whereupon Super Buyer gets up to shake Dad’s hand.

“I knew you were a smart businessman,” says Super Buyer.

“Nah,” says Dad, “I fear I’ll never be as smart as you.”

At which point Dad grabs Super Buyer by the collar and the seat of the pants and throws him out of the showroom.

Well, in case you think that’s the end of the story, you’d be wrong. Super Buyer is miffed; he knows it can’t be him. “What’s wrong with that salesman” he’s thinking. So he complains to others. “Do you know what that crazy salesman did to me?”

Super Buyer quickly made a legend of Dad. It didn’t hurt his company either. In fact the owner sold the company within two months of Dad’s retirement.

Four months into Dad’s retirement, he gets a call from the new owners. Would he like his old job back at some increase in salary? No. Well, how about the same deal and he doesn’t have to come into work: he can stay there in Florida and just call into the office and manage things from down there? No. Well, how about the same deal, but you just consult with us from down there, and help us keep your clients happy? No. But he did offer them some advice. Apparently they didn’t take it. They didn’t believe him. And they didn’t keep Dad’s clients.

Now it may take some courage and great difficulty to be ethical in the world today. I bet it always has taken courage, especially when you know you aren’t perfect. I don’t believe there really is any other choice but to try and do your best despite all the lures and snares and obstacles and derision.

And I know many if not most of you don’t know why yet – I’m working on it -- but I also believe that those of you who are fully convinced that the world is overpopulated are probably not going to gain much from what you just read. And the truly ethical may find comfort in that.

Thank you Dad. You know how much I love you.

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