Can business exist independent of greed?
I’ve been pondering a lot on this issue, and for most of my life have thought the answer to be, “absolutely not”. My cynical answer would always be that business is self-serving, that by my experience the only reason people play the business model is that it lines their own pockets. That their sole purpose in life is to climb the ladder, where the view from the top is always better (as the business proverb goes).
Is our existence solely to pursue comfort? Is my economical purpose in life to constantly be upwardly-mobile? Should I buy into the notion that I need to sell my house for enormous profit, in order to “upsize” by another 1000 square feet of living space?
I am having a hard time accepting that this is our American fate. While others are moving up, my wife and I are considering downsizing. I mean, the house I live in now is bigger than the one I grew up in–why should I be so privileged as to live so comfortably?
There was a time I literally worshipped the tile of my floor–not bowing down to it, but I couldn’t get past its beauty, the straight lines drifting endlessly into the distance of the living room. And this is not bad in and of itself–I believe God gives us an appreciation of beauty so that we will understand him better. But when beauty becomes our object of worship more than the Beautiful One, problems abound.
All digressions aside, I’m wondering if there is a way to do business that isn’t all about me. I’m wondering if there is a way to do business that will provide an income, since we do all carry certain financial obligations, but that will provide for others as well.
What if businesses decided to give more of their profits away? Now, I’m not talking Bill Gates-type generosity. Mr. Gates already has his millions. I’m talking about forfeiting the right to the millions so that others may eat. I’m talking about forfeiting stock options in favor of shelter for the homeless. I’m talking about giving up profit for the sake of the poor.
What would America look like if this was the business model adopted by the majority? How would the landscape of America (and the world, for that matter) change if more people were donating more and more money, resources, time, and energy into solving some of these issues? What if the citizens of this country started to awaken to the fact that, as the richest country on the globe, we can actually use our capital for the good of the world?
There are some who are pioneering this movement. Tom’s Shoes is one. For every pair of shoes purchased, he donates a pair to a child in Argentina. The Q Café in Seattle gives people a free cup of coffee for every blanket or jacket given to the homeless. I know there are more, but what if this model became the norm rather than the exception? How would corporate America respond? I believe they would have no choice but to (in the name of competition) keep up with the rest of the business world and donate, donate, donate!
So, may we become agents of change. We may feel we have little, but a small change here and a small change there can have a ripple effect felt far and wide. I am convinced it can happen, and it starts with a brave few…
