Is hiring to project an image morally OK?

Harbringer

Harbringer

Your A One Flower Garden
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Pertaining to companies, like clothing stores hiring specific types of individuals to help promote there stores image. For example, the American Clothing store Aercrombie and Fitch specifically looks for Blonde Hair Blue eyes girls and typically "American" boys. Is this morally acceptable? If not why? Personally I likened it today to hiring a piano player with natural born talent over one who practices and plays diligently.

This is not a thread to discuss what I think is the underlying issue(that were so damn vain and sheep like in the first place) but to discuss the issue at hand. I personally honestly have no real stance.
 
Harbringer said:
Pertaining to companies, like clothing stores hiring specific types of individuals to help promote there stores image. For example, the American Clothing store Aercrombie and Fitch specifically looks for Blonde Hair Blue eyes girls and typically "American" boys. Is this morally acceptable? If not why? Personally I likened it today to hiring a piano player with natural born talent over one who practices and plays diligently.

This is not a thread to discuss what I think is the underlying issue(that were so damn vain and sheep like in the first place) but to discuss the issue at hand. I personally honestly have no real stance.
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actually not necessarilly true. i know 6 A&F models, either store or catalogue. the guy, tall/blonde/not all-american. the girls are all dark haired except one, one is half-asian another is half-persian.

but hiring MODELS based on a look is acceptable. its kinda in the JOB DESCRIPTION. hiring waitresses i find less so.
 
jeps said:
actually not necessarilly true. i know 6 A&F models, either store or catalogue. the guy, tall/blonde/not all-american. the girls are all dark haired except one, one is half-asian another is half-persian.

but hiring MODELS based on a look is acceptable. its kinda in the JOB DESCRIPTION. hiring waitresses i find less so.
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That was just an example, and it is true, theres an article in the New York times where they interviewed a bunch of there store managers and they were specifically told to look for certain kinds of people, they just throw minorities a bone every once in a while to fend of lawsuits.

But that wasn't the topics discussion, and also, why yes on models and no on waitresses?

Irish Caesar said:
Isn't hiring not to project an image financially unwise?
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Obviously or they wouldn't do it, but I'm asking as whether it can defended as being morally acceptable not financially sound.
 
well, MODELS and waitresses are different.

Model: A person employed to display merchandise, such as clothing or cosmetics.
If your job is to project an image, and they hire you to project an image, its all good. if they hire you not to project an image, they are complete and utter idiots.

waitresses jobs are to take orders and serve food. not to project an image. thats the difference
 
Harbringer said:
Obviously or they wouldn't do it, but I'm asking as whether it can defended as being morally acceptable not financially sound.
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Think of the people who would lose jobs if it was financially unsound... that's morally unacceptable.

:(
 
But that's an unintended consequence that were not accounting for in this scenario, I want to discuss the morality of it and only it, not its far reaching consequences.
 
Irish Caesar said:
Ah, but consequences are important in morality situations...
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But the implications of removing something and that consequence cannot make the original object morally unacceptable, maybe the person who removed it irresponsible, or the action unwise. But that's like saying because my dad is a bad guy Im a bad guy.
 
no discussion on the morality of a job where the job description is potentially morally wrong based on this thread?
 
jeps said:
no discussion on the morality of a job where the job description is potentially morally wrong based on this thread?
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.......why?
 
Sure it is.
 
jeps said:
waitresses jobs are to take orders and serve food. not to project an image. thats the difference
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Hooters is not a wildly successful national chain franchise because of their crappy battered buffalo wings or efficient service.
 
Harbringer said:
Neat. Why?
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Cause you can hire whoever you want. And if it promotes your store image great. Nothing morally wrong with hiring people to make more money.
 
I'm going to go with nothing morally wrong, assuming that company image, and not personal racism is the underling cause. However, the government should outlaw it anyway, because allowing it has bad consequences.

I'm trying to recall quote on the subject that went something like this:
"I don't care if she's black or even purple, but my customers do." (use as justification for not hiring a black woman.)

Anybody know who said it and what the exact quote might have been?
 
Harbringer said:
Pertaining to companies, like clothing stores hiring specific types of individuals to help promote there stores image. For example, the American Clothing store Aercrombie and Fitch specifically looks for Blonde Hair Blue eyes girls and typically "American" boys. Is this morally acceptable? If not why? Personally I likened it today to hiring a piano player with natural born talent over one who practices and plays diligently.

This is not a thread to discuss what I think is the underlying issue(that were so damn vain and sheep like in the first place) but to discuss the issue at hand. I personally honestly have no real stance.
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I dont really see how morality enters into it.
 
jeps said:
well, MODELS and waitresses are different.

Model: A person employed to display merchandise, such as clothing or cosmetics.
If your job is to project an image, and they hire you to project an image, its all good. if they hire you not to project an image, they are complete and utter idiots.

waitresses jobs are to take orders and serve food. not to project an image. thats the difference
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I would say that any job where an employee is interacting with customers they are projecting the image of the company.
 
Harald said:
I would say that any job where an employee is interacting with customers they are projecting the image of the company.
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I would go even further and say any job where an employee is ever goes out in public is projecting the image of the company.

(Unless his employment is a secret, but then there are usually other reasons why appearance matters.)
 
MobBoss said:
I dont really see how morality enters into it.
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Some would claim that its discrimination? Youv never had this issue brought up or talked about before?
 
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