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Dodgy stuff off the back of a van?
frisky python
Posts: 9,737 Forum Member
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I'm wondering here how many DSers buy films that have been copied and are not the real deal? Or other fake goods, like named brands that are either poor replicas or have been smuggled in and not paid tax on? Or do some cash-in-hand work and don't register as self-employed?
I know quite a few people who do the above who see nothing wrong in it and I just wondered how common this is. Is it morally acceptable amongst your friends/acquaintances?
I know quite a few people who do the above who see nothing wrong in it and I just wondered how common this is. Is it morally acceptable amongst your friends/acquaintances?
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* That's a joke BTW. I give them away.
I know a guy on the dole that makes a very good living out of it. He hasn't had a proper job for ten years plus.
Yet he bought a brand new Ford last year and has a reasonably good lifestyle.
He's a member of a usenet group that has access to rare British sit coms and dramas on their own download site. He cycles through about ten Ebay accounts per year as they keep getting banned for selling 'pirate' DVD's of these sitcoms etc. He doesn't try to hide what they are and he sells loads.
He's a pretty good friend and most of us are a bit ambiguous about his activities, we take the piss out of him but none of us will report him. Probably nothing would happen to him if we did...
I guess my interest is piqued as to what the good people of DS think seeing there is moral outrage daily for anyone who claims benefits and doesn't spend them how they think they should for example. So, moral outrage in one area, but does it extend into others? And the reasoning behind it.
Also, when you say the dole, do you mean unemployment benefit? If so, how has he stayed on it for 10yrs?
I do buy "off the back of a lorry" now and again, but not films though, Christ, I can DL better quality ones myself. Buying knock-off DVD's is so 90's.
3 for ten pounds . Tops up the dole nicely :cool:
Old blokes are my best customers
and if you sell DVD etc - without a BBFC rating trading standard will get you on that at well....
so stop thieving..It is not worth it!
I just find it quite hard to believe the moral outrage I see on here (and Facebook) over benefit scroungers, immigrants etc with people feeling these groups are getting something they haven't worked for or deserved, but practically none at all about doing something dodgy on the side whereby the original artist or designer is defrauded!
Something I have noticed is that people generally only feel moral outrage over something they wouldn't do or or can't do or don't want to do.
Take for example the pensioners that don't bat an eyelid over the unemployed being forced into working for their benefits but they'd be outraged if the government forced them into working for their pensions.
Take the family who don't bat an eyelid over claiming tax credits and child benefit but are outraged when a single mother is given a poxy council house and benefits.
People get pissy over someone else getting what they can't have and our particular governemnt are fantastic at making us turn on each other. People just aren't seeing who is our real 'enemy', it isn't the geezer down the market selling dodgy perfume.
They want you to grass on your neighbour, they positively encourage it.
I'm not going to get pissy and grass on someone for selling something off the back of a lorry when I've spent all morning downloading. I'd be a fcking hypocrite. I'm not going to get pissy over my neighbour claiming a benefit I can't get not when my husband spent six months claiming JSA whilst delivering pizzas cash in hand because we were skint and the baby was going through nappies like nobodies business.
Like I said in my other post we all do what we need to do in order to get by.
From the stuff I read on DS I think a lot of the outrage stems from jealousy and that well known emotion of feeling hard done by. Why should my neighbour have a massive flat screen TV when I'm working all hours blah blah blah. I bet it fell of the back of lorry.
Excellent post
I don't see it as who the "real" enemy is. I registered as self-employed because morally it's the right thing to do. I can hardly complain about the state of affairs if I'm not actually doing my bit to contribute. And the thing about the man selling dodgy perfumes - where did he purchase them from? Is it propping up some other illegal activities? Are they even safe to use? (I ask that as the things I make I have to ensure their safety before placing them on the market).
Is that what it's about - getting one over on the Govt?
It could be just trying to survive, I over the years have saved myself hundreds of pounds by asking can you do me a better deal for cash, 99.9 i get a better deal and save cash what that person does with the cash i give him is not my concern. I smoke i have a friend who works in france and comes home every weekend, bring my **** for me, he does not make any money from it, but a save myself a fortune. and a few other things like that, i dont feel guity at all
Is that not big companys and rich people do anyway, they use loopholes not to pay tax .Its not the little man doing the little back hander for £50 thats landed use this way when companys and people can save millions or billions by useing the tax system there the ones that goverment are to scared to take on. Untill this is stopped i will save myself every penny i can. If someone offers me a good deal i will take it. My morals are to look after my family, if that means making money go futher so be it. Same as all my drinks at xmas were got for me by the same friend, and only payed half of what it would have cost over here
Old style.
Sorry for not replying earlier but I've only just finished work.
Morally it's wrong, no doubt about that and some of us let him know about it in very uncertain terms.
I think he's been on so long because he has some sort of minor disability. I don't want to go into too much detail for obvious reasons.