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Comment by thephyber | Hacker News Reader

> Outsourcing ethics to Government regulation is just plain wrong.

This is a category error. Companies have an existential incentive to chase profits (and their managers can be sued by the shareholders for doing anything less). Their incentive to avoid violating laws, morals, and ethics is far lower.

> is just plain wrong

What is the consequence? Does anyone in the USA strictly avoid buying anything from any company with dubious ethics?

We all have knee-jerk reactions to outrage, but where we either (1) don't have enough transparency to know or (2) don't have reasonable alternatives, there is no ability for individual non-governmental entities to shape those incentives. The closest we get are internet mobs organizing boycotts, but lots of people reject that method for completely rational reasons.

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> This is a category error. Companies have an existential incentive to chase profits (and their managers can be sued by the shareholders for doing anything less). Their incentive to avoid violating laws, morals, and ethics is far lower.

Holding firm to a strong sense of ethics and morals is a risky thing to do. Whether you're representing a company, or just acting as an individual. But that risk does not justify NOT holding firm.

So, if you run a company, and you're afraid of getting sued by your shareholders for not pursuing profit at the expense of your ethics and morals, I'd suggest finding a new job. Or, just maybe, your shareholders aren't so blinded by greed that they would not support your company doing what is right.

And the people who don't go and find a new job will replace you in the market place. It's natural selection.

>So, if you run a company, and you're afraid of getting sued by your shareholders for not pursuing profit at the expense of your ethics and morals, I'd suggest finding a new job.

Maybe this is what happens, and the people who are left in charge at those companies are the ones who don't care?

I agree that's how things should work, but I agree with a sibling comment that the fitness function of companies right now in the USA doesn't select for the attributes you are describing.

I act that way, but I've never worked for any of the most successful companies in my industry. That's probably not a coincidence.

> So, if you run a company, and you're afraid of getting sued by your shareholders for not pursuing profit at the expense of your ethics and morals, I'd suggest finding a new job.

Who’s to say that’s not exactly what normally happens? In which case it should surprise no one that those who remain are disproportionately lacking in ethics and morals.

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