Can I Use ChatGPT for the Tedious Parts of My Job?
In his response, the Ethicist noted: “The only reason you can resell a ticket at many times the original price is that the artist had decided to offer them for less than she could get, and so make them affordable to fans of more modest means. When people, or their army of bots, buy those lower-priced tickets in order to resell them, they’re abusing that restraint. … That’s the case against Swift scalpers. But your sister didn’t buy these tickets to resell them. She just wound up with three she can’t use and had to distribute them somehow. … Besides, if the Manhattan moms didn’t like the price, all they had to do was not pay it. That’s how markets work. The trouble is that some members of this Facebook group, it seems, don’t think it’s an arena where market values should operate. As a member of the group, you should consider whether they’re entitled to this feeling — or whether they should shake it off.” (Reread the full question and answer here.)
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The Ethicist’s answer was well put. The only thing this ticket seller did wrong was to offer any discount whatsoever. There is nothing wrong with exchanging goods at their current market value. In fact, there might be even more ethically at risk by offering special deals to certain types of people (Manhattan moms on Facebook) and not others. — Alex
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This fortunate family was able to purchase tickets when countless others were not, solely because of luck. They now want to profit from this fortune, which our capitalist economy allows. That is their right, but the Manhattan-moms Facebook group — a place where we consider ourselves neighbors, if not friends — is not the place to do it. — Eileen
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In my opinion, considering market price for a high-demand item for tweens requires a buffer, or mitigating wisdom. This price is way beyond the real value for a concert ticket. You join the soulless in this scenario. Congratulations, everyone does it and you can make some money on the backs of mothers. Yikes. — Kim
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Basically, I agree with the Ethicist’s response, but I have one further thought: If one charged a high price for the concert tickets to prevent future resale by whoever ends up buying them, why not donate this additional profit or at least a good fraction of it to a charity? — James
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If these Taylor Swift tickets were meant to be affordable to a wider range of fans, then, ethically, it seems they should be used by those who could only afford the moderately priced tickets. To avoid another hiked price resale, the owner of the tickets could offer them at the original price to the friends of her megafan daughter. It’s a win-win, I believe. — Mary Ellen
