It was 1970 when economist Milton Friedman declared, “the social responsibility of business is to increase its profits.” Company leaders, he argued, should be entirely concerned with making money for shareholders, not with their businesses’ environmental, social, or broader economic impacts. He wasn't alone in his thinking, and as influential players got on board, it changed the way the world's economies operate.
It has been an interesting fifty years. Corporations, particularly in the financial industries, had no interest in making the world a better place, and the cost has been stunning. For those of you who are new to this world, the trends you see are neither noble nor beneficial. The competition among nations is led by a powerful few, and our persistent global warfare is primarily economic with progressively less moral constraint.
The culture we face is harsh for many. We're living in a classist society that has had stunning impact on the lower economic strata and minorities. Our national economy and governance are an elitist venue.
20% of our children live in poverty today. Their parents struggle with having enough food, with health, with safety, with quality education for their kids.
Despite the good intent of many to defend the poor and oppressed, national trends have been problematic, and most of us, particularly on the far right, are unwilling to hear the cries of those who suffer and are abused.
The poor work harder than the rest. Two jobs are the norm for parents if they can find work, and none of them chose to live in such distress. It was and is done to them, and escape is unlikely.
We perhaps cannot change the world for all, but we can for some. We can speak for the unheard, we can speak the truth to those who have yet to see. We can do so from a different heart, one that considers others in our decisions, our plans, and every path chosen. As we should.