[ale] Let's Party! (To celebrate computer viruses!)

[Brian MacLeod]

On Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 3:48 PM, Michael B. Trausch <mbt at zest.trausch.us>wrote:

>
>
> I never said that they were good in the sense that they do good.  I said
> they were good qualified with the statement "in the sense that they know
> how to get the money, regardless of the social, security, or other
> implications."  Please do not confuse "growing the company well" with
> "doing right by others."
>
> A good business makes money; a good corporation not only makes itself
> money, but makes its shareholders money.  That is a completely different
> and distinct concept (logically speaking) from improving society.
> Indeed, there are _many_ businesses that are doing well for themselves
> financially, but are causing grave consequences.  Do they care?  Not at
> all.  They have their money, and _that_ is what they care about.  Alone,
> that's reason enough for me not to put money in their pockets.  I would
> much rather put money in the pockets of companies who try to do right by
> (at the very least) their consumers, and preferably society as a whole,
> as well.
>
>
A good business yields benefits for all stakeholders, not just the
shareholders who are but one element.  That means the society that they
function within, the communities they are present in, and the governments it
must interact with.  You are right, Microsoft greatly benefits it
shareholders, and does so effectively, taking nothing else in consideration.

Business is not just about making money.  It SEEMS like that nowadays with
the various scandals and overflowing levels of greed, but it should have
been always about the holistic view.  It stopped being that way a couple of
decades ago, and we're paying for that now.  Thankfully, the education
establishment that helps pump ideas into the business community has
recognized that and is trying to right that wrong.  It's just going to take
time, and likely, a few more bad apples along the way.

Brian
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