When does reading at Barnes and Nobles become morally wrong?

[gildwulf]

If you think about it in rational actor terms, they're providing a public good that you're freeloading, but you both benefit. They benefit from providing free reading material and comfy couches because 1) people stay longer and buy overpriced coffee 2) people accrue loyalty towards B&N and 3) people buy more books in the long-term.

Looking at it from a game-theory perspective, there are four basic outcomes:

1) They provide the service and you buy more books (we can label that as the best possible outcome for them, and the second best possible outcome for you). On a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best (and Barnes and Nobles being the first actor), we can label this payoff as 4,3. This is the 'provide' option for B&N and the 'not cheat' option for you.

2) They provide the service and you cheat (what you are doing now). This is the worst possible outcome for them and the best outcome for you. Label this payoff 3,4

3) They don't provide the service (comfy couches) and you don't cheat...we can label this payoff as 2,1 (worst outcome for you, second worst outcome for them)

4) They don't provide the service (comfy couches, etc.) but you cheat and try and read the books anyways...this outcome can be labelled 1,2 (you get some utility out of it but not as much as when they provide the service).

Setting up the game is easy: Barnes and Nobles on the left with provide or don't provide (P or DP) and You on the top with cheat or don't cheat (C or DC).

You
Cheat Don't Cheat
P (3,4) (4,3)
DP (1,2) (2,1)

Since Barnes and Nobles will always 'move first' in this game (they open the store, you go), the best reply or Nash equilibrium is for you to cheat and read the books. This will always be better than them not providing the service (we assume since their best possible outcome is providing the service and you becoming a life-long customer and staying longer in their store).

So while I can't necessarily comment on the morality of your decision, you clearly made the optimal outcome by deciding to read books in Barnes and Nobles.

Peace,
Zach

[lorinda]

When they are closed.

Lori