Tesla Tantrums: Consumer Choices In The Age Of Performative Ethics

The French phrase "l'esprit de l'escalier" describes the experience of thinking of a witty response only after the conversation has ended. The author recalls a time when he responded quickly to a visitor's criticism of his German car, pointing out the visitor's own hypocrisy in driving a Japanese car. This exchange came to mind when the author saw the backlash against Tesla, with people vandalizing cars and accusing the company of being immoral. The author believes that this reaction is not about ethics, but about partisan identity and ideological grievance. The author argues that if we hold companies to a high moral standard, we must be consistent and consider the moral implications of all consumer choices. This would lead to a situation where almost no company would be considered acceptable. The author cites examples of companies like Ford, Apple, and Nike, which have all been criticized for various moral failings. The author believes that this kind of moral outrage is not principled, but rather opportunistic and based on partisan identity. The author argues that a morally serious society would require consistency, humility, and an acknowledgment of shared imperfection. Without these, protests against companies are empty gestures and tribal totems in the cultural war. The author is not saying that ethics should not play a role in commerce, but rather that we should be careful not to politicize consumption and make our purchases emblems of ideological identity.