I go to the movies often. If what I’m seeing is terrible, is it OK to walk out and find a seat at another movie at the same theater? Or even to ask for my money back? —Blaine Greenfield, Biltmore Lake, N.C.

ANSWER Your ticket gives you access to a specific movie in a specific location at a specific time. That’s the transaction. There’s a risk with subjective art—there’s no guarantee you’ll like it, and your opinion doesn’t dictate a refund. And if you pay for a bad movie but end up watching a different one, you’re rewarding the bad director while taking revenue from the director who made entertainment you liked, thus perpetuating the likelihood that more bad movies will be made in the future.
—Adapted from “The Ethicist” in The New York Times Magazine