Because they are hypocrites and liars. Below are 4 reasons why this is bad:
If an emission standard is bad, you go publicly against it and try to fight it (I'm almost certain VW never did this, because it would make them look bad). You don't agree with it publicly or stay quiet and then just cheat. In such a scenario, there is no hope of these bad emissions standards ever being over-turned. You enable them.
In addition, they gave legitimacy to these new over-the-top emission regulations. By cheating and therefore appearing to meet them without a urea filter, they made it seem like they weren't so bad, when in fact they were over-the-top and pretty much required a urea filter, a reduction in power, and an increase in fuel consumption.
Furthermore, other car companies had to add expensive urea injection to meet these emission standards on their diesel cars while VW, due to cheating, did not. We should want companies to get ahead because they make a better product, not because they cheat more than their competition. If we look the other way for this kind of stuff, then we have an economy that basically encourages corruption instead of innovation.
To further compound the dishonesty, VW was touting its TDI technology as being green when in fact they were cheating to meet these so-called emissions standards so everyone else's technology was actually greener (though likely only by a bit given the diminishing returns in each subsequent required emissions reduction). Having good information to make a good purchase decision is one of the cornerstones of a properly functioning free market. Misinformation reduces its efficiency and should never be tolerated. In other words, people should be able to know what they are buying.
I suppose this is a question of whether the ends justify the means. My position is that they never do for the above reasons.
can someone explain why getting around ridiculous emission laws is bad?
Because they are hypocrites and liars. Below are 4 reasons why this is bad:
If an emission standard is bad, you go publicly against it and try to fight it (I'm almost certain VW never did this, because it would make them look bad). You don't agree with it publicly or stay quiet and then just cheat. In such a scenario, there is no hope of these bad emissions standards ever being over-turned. You enable them.
In addition, they gave legitimacy to these new over-the-top emission regulations. By cheating and therefore appearing to meet them without a urea filter, they made it seem like they weren't so bad, when in fact they were over-the-top and pretty much required a urea filter, a reduction in power, and an increase in fuel consumption.
Furthermore, other car companies had to add expensive urea injection to meet these emission standards on their diesel cars while VW, due to cheating, did not. We should want companies to get ahead because they make a better product, not because they cheat more than their competition. If we look the other way for this kind of stuff, then we have an economy that basically encourages corruption instead of innovation.
To further compound the dishonesty, VW was touting its TDI technology as being green when in fact they were cheating to meet these so-called emissions standards so everyone else's technology was actually greener (though likely only by a bit given the diminishing returns in each subsequent required emissions reduction). Having good information to make a good purchase decision is one of the cornerstones of a properly functioning free market. Misinformation reduces its efficiency and should never be tolerated. In other words, people should be able to know what they are buying.
I suppose this is a question of whether the ends justify the means. My position is that they never do for the above reasons.
same
https://principia-scientific.com/lawyers-promise-nurember-trials-against-all-behind-covid-scam/ He’s like a GermanAmerican Lin Wood.