3 ms·

As an anecdote, I still plan on my next car being a TDI VW Golf, assuming they are available in the US by the time I'm looking in a couple years. As another co

As an anecdote, I still plan on my next car being a TDI VW Golf, assuming they are available in the US by the time I'm looking in a couple years. As another commenter said, I really don't care about "the deals and tricks between giant corporations and the Government".

slantyyz 11y ago
>> As another commenter said, I really don't care about "the deals and tricks between giant corporations and the Government". Well you should care a little, because the result of the "the deals and tricks between giant corporations and the Government" can impact you financially in both a positive and negative fashion. On the positive -- the financial incentives that VW is offering as a result of the scandal -- IIRC, up to $6K -- make it a great time to upgrade or buy. On the negative -- public perception of the scandal could lower the resale price of any diesel VW you might own.
joshkpeterson 11y ago
I only buy clothes made in sweatshops by 6 year old children because it's cheaper, and as another commenter said, I really don't care about "the deals and tricks between giant corporations and the Government"
- LesZedCB 11y ago
  That's not a fair comparison. Environmental externalities are not the same as children being exploited for labor, no matter how you frame it. I do think that it is highly naive to say one doesn't care about the deals and tricks that big corporations pull off. Especially with the rampant consumer economy in the US, being an uninformed consumer is irresponsible. However, I have to agree with the GP, I was just saying yesterday that I also would still be willing to buy a VW. they are really (subjectively by some measures, objective by other) good cars, despite the recent scandal.
  - justizin 11y ago
    > Environmental externalities are not the same as children being exploited for labor, no matter how you frame it. Beyond a sufficient level of terrible, relative comparison is unnecessary.
    - LesZedCB 11y ago
      I'm vegetarian, not vegan. Some buy only organic, fair-trade food instead of the cheapest, mass-produced variety. Some people are actually informed about the sources of their clothes and choose not to buy some. There are ethical and moral implications and trade offs for all. I think that judging the OP because VW makes a diesel car that gets only 35MPG instead of 42 and saying it's equivalent to buying clothes from sweat-shop brands is disingenuous at best. As I said above, I do not agree with the lassie-faire sentiment of letting corporations do what they want to buying whatever. EDIT, for context, the highest level commenter was downvoted below 0 before.
      - joshkpeterson 11y ago
        No you're right, they're not equivalent. But I was more attacking the OP's stated justification, and the indefensibly stupid and self-serving attitude that allows a person to make such a statement.
ScottBurson 11y ago
Even if the power and fuel efficiency are decreased, as they almost certainly will have to be, in order to meet the pollution regulations without cheating? It isn't just between VW and the USG -- it's going to take money out of your pocket in the form of higher fuel costs. I guess you don't care how much pollution you spew -- which doesn't strike me as a commendable attitude -- but the rest of us do, and we're not going to let VW continue to sell cars that pollute well beyond the legal limits in actual use.

slantyyz 11y ago

>> As another commenter said, I really don't care about "the deals and tricks between giant corporations and the Government". Well you should care a little, because the result of the "the deals and tricks between giant corporations and the Government" can impact you financially in both a positive and negative fashion. On the positive -- the financial incentives that VW is offering as a result of the scandal -- IIRC, up to $6K -- make it a great time to upgrade or buy. On the negative -- public perception of the scandal could lower the resale price of any diesel VW you might own.

joshkpeterson 11y ago

I only buy clothes made in sweatshops by 6 year old children because it's cheaper, and as another commenter said, I really don't care about "the deals and tricks between giant corporations and the Government"

LesZedCB 11y ago
That's not a fair comparison. Environmental externalities are not the same as children being exploited for labor, no matter how you frame it. I do think that it is highly naive to say one doesn't care about the deals and tricks that big corporations pull off. Especially with the rampant consumer economy in the US, being an uninformed consumer is irresponsible. However, I have to agree with the GP, I was just saying yesterday that I also would still be willing to buy a VW. they are really (subjectively by some measures, objective by other) good cars, despite the recent scandal.
- justizin 11y ago
  > Environmental externalities are not the same as children being exploited for labor, no matter how you frame it. Beyond a sufficient level of terrible, relative comparison is unnecessary.
  - LesZedCB 11y ago
    I'm vegetarian, not vegan. Some buy only organic, fair-trade food instead of the cheapest, mass-produced variety. Some people are actually informed about the sources of their clothes and choose not to buy some. There are ethical and moral implications and trade offs for all. I think that judging the OP because VW makes a diesel car that gets only 35MPG instead of 42 and saying it's equivalent to buying clothes from sweat-shop brands is disingenuous at best. As I said above, I do not agree with the lassie-faire sentiment of letting corporations do what they want to buying whatever. EDIT, for context, the highest level commenter was downvoted below 0 before.
    - joshkpeterson 11y ago
      No you're right, they're not equivalent. But I was more attacking the OP's stated justification, and the indefensibly stupid and self-serving attitude that allows a person to make such a statement.

ScottBurson 11y ago

Even if the power and fuel efficiency are decreased, as they almost certainly will have to be, in order to meet the pollution regulations without cheating? It isn't just between VW and the USG -- it's going to take money out of your pocket in the form of higher fuel costs. I guess you don't care how much pollution you spew -- which doesn't strike me as a commendable attitude -- but the rest of us do, and we're not going to let VW continue to sell cars that pollute well beyond the legal limits in actual use.