High Cost of Dishonesty

Curious that this essay appeared when it did. In September 2013 I visited the local Farmer's Market which is held on Tuesdays on City land on an overpass near Harvard University's Science Center. I'm a fairly savvy food shopper. I noticed early that the prices at this market were higher than Whole Foods and all of the other markets in the Cambridge area. That includes Stop & Shop, Shaw's (formerly Star Market), Trader Joe's, and DeMoulah's Market Basket. But it is convenient and when I pass by and need one item it is more efficient to shop for the one item than to make a one mile trip to the markets. Their tomatoes taste better unless you purchase organic tomatoes at the markets. But even then the Farmer's market prices are higher. One particular vendor treated me rudely. I ignored it because I did not spend much time or money at his space.











In September I needed tomatoes and saw that his looked ripe enough to eat for my salads and their price was lower than the other vendors. I picked up some at the sign's listed price of $3.50 per pound. He  placed it on his scale. I noticed it was less than a pound. He said the price was $4.00, which I paid without question. I did not want to argue with this man who was rude to me on a few previous occasions. I went home and weighed the tomatoes again. My scale showed about three-fourths of a pound. He had charged me $1.40 over the stated price for one item. I was upset and recognized that this man could not be trusted. Was it only me or was he doing that to others? I did not know but I will never shop at his stall again unless it is an life-or-death emergency. 

Perhaps few people who shop at this market have any monetary concerns. Many people at Harvard University, and many Cambridge residents,  own trust funds or are related to wealthy persons and have little need to worry about a few dollars for food each week. Many of the customers at this market are Harvard students. To some of them overpaying is not a problem. 

This essay raises the question of why politicians and lawyers who lie so freely are trusted at all? They steal much larger quantities of money each day without using scales. 

[From article]
The fact that honesty and trust are so vital should make us rethink just how much tolerance we should have for criminals and dishonest people.

http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/williamns092513.php3#.Ukp1_d00jDo

Jewish World Review Sept. 25, 2013/ 21 Tishrei, 5774
Honesty and Trust
By Walter Williams