Once again it is ethics (the concept of right and wrong, the philosophy of an individual) that determines our reputation and our long-term business success.
The MH business is fundamentally a moral endeavor, supplying homes and related services to the lower middle class. The owner/entrepreneur may be generously rewarded as he offers to satisfy the needs of his customers. The affairs of the business are mostly localized and consequently customized to that specific market. Therefore, it seems rational to focus one’s business activities on ethical execution. Our clients determine their needs and we just offer them satisfaction at a low price. This voluntary exchange is beneficial to all concerned and nobody’s business except of those involved.
It is ironic that some sheeples in our business convulse themselves into a tizzy as they seriously seek to be licensed as anointed agents under the SAFE Act. In fact, recently a lawyer/businessman advocated and urged us to financially contribute to groups and their lobbyists whose business it is to buy the vote of crooked politicians. Morality (the philosophy of a group) and common sense are not the purview of national or state legislators, nor are they foremost in the minds of public serpents. Not one of all the ethical business people I know flaunts his success or all the services he can customize for worthy clients. These business people are all “low key” and psychologically and practically well-prepared to navigate the aggressions of the non-producers.
Our MH business is only in our locale, and it is our business only, built by our ethics that yields our reputation and assures continued success.
Hey!
Speaking as someone who takes ethics pretty seriously, I do not disagree with the first paragraph.
Speaking as a lawyer/businessman, I think you are nuts to think that you can do the “right thing” and just ignore the unfortunate reality of a predatory government based on your good reputation and correct ethics. You can be as low-key as you’d like, but when the state-sanctioned thugs show up and seize your property to pay the fines arising from ignoring the law (that “low key approach” of which you speak), you’ll not be doing anyone any good.
Unfortunately, the sytsem is increasingly geared towards rewarding the unethical at the expense of the ethical. If you are looking to go on a Galtian strike, then freaking go on strike, both you and your capital, you’d be far from alone at this point. If you are looking to push for good rules (those nasty lobbyists, etc.) but to play by the ones in place (approach of said lawyer-businessman at the present), get licensed and take advantage of the reduced competition being created by a foolish state and a foolish electorate…that is, take their idiot rule and jam it down their greedy throats. But to be ethical based on what works in a non-existent rational environment, all while ignoring the 800 pound gorilla? Good luck. You’ll end up being “right” - and very likely broke. How much good does that do anyone?
Let me ask: How well will your reputation and ethics shield you when the one crooked tenant narcs you out to LegalAid/ACLU/ACORN/Obama style attorneys who know the government agents and get some expensive action going, to the tune of fifty grand per violation? You can ignore the world, it will not ignore you.
Bernd, I like you a ton and we agree on much at the abstract level. Plus, anyone who can attract and keep a women of Barbara’s caliber has to be OK. But you are SOOOOOO European - good on abstract ideas & sheer intellect, not so good on street smarts and translating said ideas into something workable. Falling on your philosophical sword and ceding your property to people who do not deserve it does not strike me as ethical.
Post Edited (06-29-10 05:01)