The Virtuous and the Greedy

This is a paradigm that has polarized our country and led to bad thinking. It’s holding the nation’s progress back. It’s as if there were a wall. And on one side of the wall is this belief that not-for-profits and government exist for public service, and that they’re fundamentally altruistic, that they have a deeper purpose, and they’re doing good in the world, and they have pure motives. On the other side of the wall are corporations. And they’re just selfish and greedy. They have no purpose other than to make money. They’re a bunch of psychopaths. And I’d like to tear that wall down. Human beings are obviously self-interested. We do look after ourselves, but we’re capable of love, empathy, and compassion, and I don’t see that business is any different.”

- John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods

Read more: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/01/04/100104fa_fact_paumgarten?currentPage=7#ixzz0bkYL3TkJ

I have no problems with not-for-profit organizations, but I can guarantee you that if we were to replace all of our grocery stores, health care providers, educational institutions, home developers, etc. with not-for-profits, we would live in a far less prosperous country.