I understand that point entirely. But ignorance is why so many Bad Things are allowed to flourish. Perhaps I’m making the argument that we should (yes, that “should” word) be making more informed choices about who we do business with.

Obviously, though, all business involves compromise…

(I tended to avoid Gloria Jean’s before that, but that’s only because I like variety and will always choose the unknown corner café over the high-profile franchise.)

@Cassie ST: I think you explain the line-drawing very well. If the gut feeling says it’s wrong, it’s wrong. Even if we can’t consciously put it into words.

Isn’t there a song in The Simsons about “doing a half-arsed job” being “the American way”?

When the queazy feeling in the pit of your stomach, the nagging doubt hammering away in the back of your mind, the feeling that you need to scrub down when you bank the cheque, just won’t go away, and you wish you hadn’t said yes.

I mix business, politics and religion all the time. Like your header says Stil., “All publication is a political act. All communication is propaganda. All art is pornography. All business is personal.”

It’s not the political or religious persuasion per se, it’s the ethics behind it and behaviour displayed, yes?

Where is it written that people have to be fair and do business with people they’d rather not do business with?

Agree with Alistair, ignorance is bliss, but once you know, well, then it’s your choice isn’t it? And then a whole heap of other interesting computations and trade-offs come into play. (This from personal experience boycotting whole countries and trans nats over the years, in protest/solidarity for whatever)

If you feel uneasy about doing business with someone for ethical reasons; unless you’re in the employ of a dictator, it’s no-one else’s business but yours, should you choose to say “no, sorry, can’t do this job for you”.

(@Matt F: Nah, don’t do a poor job, that affects your reputation AND Karma. You just sic … err … “recommend” them onto your worst enemy/competitor in the field. They deserve each other, right?)

It seems to me, from personal observation and anecdotal evidence over the years; that the only people who wrestle with their conscience over this sort of dilemma, are the people whose gut feeling says “no”, even as they shake on the deal.

And you can be sure that the “client” is having no such tussle with their feelings over the contract, except perhaps regarding prompt payment, if at all, for services rendered, having transmorgified into the client from hell quicker than you can say - DOUW!

(Sorry not sure where to reply, but biased towards my own blog for obvious reasons