That's because there is evidence about VW.
> This is enough that VW can show to be unfairly targeted, as it’s standard market practice.
No, it really is not.
> If VW can show that others did the same, but did not get the same media resonance, then VW can sue for the lost sales based on an estimation of the difference in reputation loss.
It's an interesting theory about how the law could work but unfortunately somewhat detached from what I know about how the law actually works. VW does not get to claim any 'lost sales' directly attributable to their own conduct, regardless of who reported on it and how frequently even if all their competitors did it too. If VW has evidence that other manufacturers cheat as well they're probably more than welcome to present it. (And if they had such evidence they probably would.)
> Hell, even other companies in Germany have reported lost sales due to the "German engineering = pollution" that US media have pushed recently.
Yes, and VW is to blame for that. Not the US media.
9.
VW is not the only one in this whole situation.
In case of VW, in addition to that report an actual device to fool the tests was discovered.
(And, in reality, I’d say the US government is more influenced by the media than the other way around – as can be seen in the situation with Comcast, TWC, etc)
But if everybody else isn’t equally punished, or equally investigated, than that is against the constitution, too.
You keep making these grand claims about the constitution and the law and this whole VW affair that have absolutely no basis in fact. Please stop that it is just throwing up a huge smokescreen and it measurably devalues the discussion.
I'm sure that it fits your worldview but fwiw no matter how hard and how often you write this stuff it does not make it true. The constitution has absolutely nothing to do with this, VW was not 'singled out' and you are actively harming your reputation on HN. As a German student I understand that you feel that VW has been treated 'unfair' but they brought this on themselves, BMW was tested as well and passed the test even though they too emitted more NOx than they should have depending on the circumstances, they did not use a 'test defeat device'.
From what we have in terms of evidence to date no other company has engaged in such blatant fraud in this respect as VW has. If you have evidence (as in hard evidence, not just hunches) that another manufacturer also employs a cheating device then you could make headlines the world over by sharing that proof and I for one would be very supportive of you.
But all these statements that defend VW and even suggest that VW could recover their losses because they've been treated unfairly are not based in fact and make it seem like you are of good intentions but other than that do not appear to have much knowledge of how these things work. So a word to the wise: you have but one reputation, you build it up slowly over the years and you can lose and/or damage that reputation quickly.
Please don't let your sense of indignation get the better of you and hurt your interests in the longer term.
The amount of media VW gets over this issue is irrelevant to any damages you may try to conjure up.
People may say whatever they like.
0: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10580490 1: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10718312
What do you think they would have used if VW had not conveniently committed fraud?
I think "Americans" can be replaced with "people in general" (including Europeans and Asians as well)
Simple searching on google showed me on the first page (third result).
The amount of truth we see is relative to the intension we're having. The rest just seems invisible to us.
Few more thoughts from Chomsky related to the theme of our discussion regarding truth:
“Either you repeat the same conventional doctrines everybody is saying, or else you say something true, and it will sound like it's from Neptune.” (Exactly fit for responses I got re my geo-political remark)
“Everyone’s worried about stopping terrorism. Well, there’s really an easy way: Stop participating in it.” (Yay, so true. But we're more concerned about how perfect and moral our regulation structure is, that it punishes the right people with right evidence... but evidence can be shown when it's the most convenient time to show them)
“It is the responsibility of intellectuals to speak the truth and expose lies.” (Who likes truth anyway?)
“For the powerful, crimes are those that others commit.”
("Hey, Germany ministers are towing the line and aren't repeating our propaganda, how can we show them their place?" "Well, let's call our regulatory depts., we must be having some violation reports waiting to be show light of the day at this opportune moment. Find the one with biggest potential impact, and, and we'll have the compliance of Germany without shotting a single bullet." "Yeah, this will also set example for other European vassals, who lately tries to have independent voice. They must be shown their right place before it's too late.")
For two entities to be independent, there needs to be little control in both directions.
With certainty? No.
US Government is a collection of individuals theoretically bound by a (very-large) shared text, or program, if you will. Do media corporations have some measure of influence on some of those individuals? Undoubtedly.
I am fairly certain that the individuals who make up the US Government are not all on media corporation payrolls.
>Judging by the political "activism" regularly displayed by Fox and CNN, I think it's fair to say that the media exerts a lot of control over the executive and legislative branches.
This makes sense. US Government is structured such that it arises from the people it is governing. If that structure is to be used, it requires public communication (ie. media).
The media focus has been solely on VW, despite others doing the same.
This is enough that VW can show to be unfairly targeted, as it’s standard market practice.
If VW can show that others did the same, but did not get the same media resonance, then VW can sue for the lost sales based on an estimation of the difference in reputation loss.
Hell, even other companies in Germany have reported lost sales due to the "German engineering = pollution" that US media have pushed recently.