Redefining words to suit a
business’s financial interest is misleading, even if the herd animals who serve
as customers look the other way, or, even worse, do not notice the fact that
the words have been redefined! At a Goodwill store in Phoenix, Arizona, I bought a black suit for singing in a choir.
Before I paid, I asked a manager whether I could return the suit as long as I
do so within a week. “Yes, you can get a refund,” he replied. Three days later,
I returned to the store to return the suit. I approached an available cashier,
but she told me that I had to go to the other cashier if I had a return. That cashier
was not even at his register, and even when he returned I had to wait at least
five minutes for one customer. Only the head cashier can process refunds,
whereas any cashier can accept money—an
interesting, meaning convenient, asymmetry. Money comes in easier than it goes
out.
The full essay is at "False Pretenses as Good Will."
