Used-car salesmen et al!

As everyone knows, cars — used or otherwise — are a big thing in the so-called developed world. In the US in particular, the car a person drives determines his or her stature in society. Selling and buying of used cars has become part of the social vocabulary. In America’s lexicon, “would you buy a used car from this guy?” has become synonymous with “would you trust this person?” The American media is known to make extensive use of this criterion when evaluating candidates for elective office. In the primaries for nomination of candidates for the US presidential elections, this question is known to figure very often.

The term “used car” has acquired a somewhat unsavoury connotation. By the same token, the phrase “used car salesman” has assumed shades of a shyster. No wonder that in many countries the used car salesmen fraternity has resolved to adopt the euphemism “pre-owned cars” instead. It sounds more elegant and less fishy! Still, “pre-owned car salesman” does not have quite the same ring to it as “used-car salesman” of yesteryear. Thus the question, “would you buy a pre-owned car from this guy?” does not have the same fruity flavour as the classic question the world is familiar with. But let’s face it; the erstwhile used-car salesmen do have a point!

For reasons not too far-fetched, it is hardly possible to fob off a used piece of machinery on anyone of normal intelligence without appropriate use of guile. In simple terms, should you decide to make a living by selling used (or pre-owned) cars, then you need not only the gift of the gab but also a bit of chicanery. Does this not sound a bit familiar when you look at our politicians, selling their point of view on the idiot box?

Hence the question that presents itself is: can a person sell a used something by being completely honest about it? This is not an easy question to answer as honesty is not easy to define or quantify; much less with a certain degree of precision. Any person professing “honesty is the best policy” should first be required to prove his own bona fides before making such statements. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Talking of honesty logically brings one to the mention of generosity. One came across a rather apt quote the other day: “How much easier it is to be generous than just! Men are sometimes bountiful who are not honest.” This opens an interesting line of thought.

Just looking around, one can discern several “philanthropists” who have come to enjoy lofty reputations by constructing houses of worship or setting up NGOs. Yet, when it comes to honouring their commitments to fellow beings, they are sadly found wanting. In today’s world people care more for images and less for substance. An edifice goes up for all to admire while sleights of the hand go generally unnoticed and unaccounted for.

Be that as it may, one’s intention here is not to pass judgment on people’s sins of omission or commission. All in all, is it not a trifle intriguing to confront man’s unfailing tendency to conjure up euphemisms for things unpleasant or odious. It is the façade that counts in this imperfect — and shallow — world of ours. In most organisations in this blessed land it is futile to look for a worthwhile system to evaluate a persons or their performance. As a consequence, merit goes out the nearest window!

In view of the aforesaid, should it not be appropriate to put in a question in all evaluation forms to the effect that, “would you buy a used car from this person?” The only catch (and it is a big catch!) is that all such evaluations eventually turn out to be subjective and hardly ever fully objective as intended! How is one to ensure that the person rendering the evaluation report is himself fit to buy a used car from? And that brings us squarely back to square one!

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2019.

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