On Principle

When I read Ayn Rand, I sometimes think that she takes things to an extreme and that our world isn’t so cut off from truth and principle. People are reasonable, fair, and just; don’t you agree? I think so, because I know a lot of great people. But this time I think that Rand’s right.

Twice today I’ve been screwed over by people who care more for simplicity and the system than they do for justice. The first involves having to pay for change of address fees for my company name. The second involves paying for a traffic ticket that I didn’t have the right to contest. In both of these cases I object on account that a principle was violated and that I was a pawn, rather than someone with rights.

You’ve certainly heard of trade names? Well, I own the trade names SETConsulting, SET Consulting, and Software Efficiency Training Consulting. The first one I got a while ago because I needed it to open a company bank account. But the latter two weren’t essential and I could have waited on them. So, before I registered those I asked about the procedure to have their address changed, as I’d be moving in just over a month and I didn’t want to pay any fees if it cost anything to have them moved. The woman I spoke with said I needed to send in a form but that there wasn’t a fee. She was wrong.

So I tried to explain that I took precautionary measures to avoid having to pay any fee, but after having spoken with six people they still won’t waive the fee, that, on principle I shouldn’t have to pay. Why won’t they waive it? Because the computer requires that the money be deposited.

And the second thing I’m bitching about? Well, I apparently went 38 in a 25 and was caught on camera. I can think of a million things I’d like to say to a judge about that, but I won’t get to say any of them because my right to contest the ticket was waived by Honda. That is, Honda paid the ticket in full without letting me know that I received it. Honda waived my legal right of having the case heard because they say that it takes too much time to look over the tickets so, instead they just pay them. But it didn’t take them too much time to charge me for it.

My dad told me to relax because it’s not that much money–either of these things. And I agree, it isn’t. I had no problem paying the parking tickets that I got last month for oversleeping cause I don’t mind spending money on things that I owe. But when people, companies, or organizations go against their word or waive my rights then something’s not right.

As a small business owner, I’d rather take thousands of dollars in losses than be dishonest to my customers. And, in response to my dad, I’d rather “waste” an hour of my life fighting for something that’s not worth any money than I would one second feeding someone devoid of principle.

Yeah, I may be taking this too far. But that’s how my (Randian) brand of honesty works.