Values > Business Objectives
Why The Market Demands Moral Excellence
Everything is connected. That used to be a somewhat esoteric truth. Today and in the future, however, it increasingly is a statement about the technological reality we live in. It’s this development, that will fix a bug which sits at the roots of consumerism: We are utterly disconnected from the resources that make our life possible.
We once used to look our food in the eye, back when we were physically connected with the planet that feeds us. Today, we pick our favorite foods from the seemingly infinite aisles of supermarkets, driven by supernormal stimuli that make us consume more than our bodies can process. We click around on the internet and whatever we want shows up at our doorstep an hour later.
It’s obvious that the modern means of production and consumption come at a cost. Environmentally, socially, and psychologically.
Technology will enhance our awareness for the consequences of our consumption. This creates massive opportunities to create ethical products that help people live up to their values. In this essay, I will argue that “the market” demands moral excellence. Businesses and entrepreneurs that focus on human values first, and business objectives second, will succeed in the economy of the 21st century.
