The Founder and the ‘Greed is good’ philosophy
In the 1987 film Wall Street, Michael Douglas’ character Gordon Gekko in one if it’s iconic moments gives an insightful speech which induces a sense of unpleasantness yet has some irrefutable veracity.
“The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good.”
Isolating this line as the essence of the speech might not be entirely accurate. But it drives the point home on the juncture modern capitalism had come to. Greed as a virtue, and as a prime mover that has the potential of pushing progress to newer levels. And embracing the principle, as Gekko puts it - “to capture the essence of the evolutionary spirit.”
Another notable example would be the ‘Always be closing’ monologue from the 1992 film Glengarry Glen Ross. Based on a play which was an indictment for the unbridled capitalism of 20th century America, the speech peppered generously with profanity serves to exhibit the relentless rush for money.
The Founder, based on the story of the American businessman Ray Kroc, played effortlessly by Michael Keaton, is the origin story of the world’s largest fast food chain : McDonalds. For those who might have read Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation or watched various documentaries on that it spawned, might notice how McDonalds at times, directly or indirectly, caused a decline in business principles and values for the sake of driving it’s extreme capitalistic needs.
A testament of this can be seen in the dictionary definition of a word derived from its notorious work environment:
McJob noun - A low-paid job with few prospects.
The Founder is the journey of how Ray Kroc managed to snatch the fast food business from the hands of its creators: Dick and Mac McDonald. And yet, using the word ‘snatch’ might seem to completely blanket the move in a negative light. There might have been some positive outcome of this hostile takeover by Ray Kroc. The fast food revolution might have been awfully delayed if it wasn’t for him. The movie does make an attempt to salvage the depiction of this corporate greed by stating that “McDonalds feeds 1% of the world everyday” during the end credits.
But more than what the company stands for, it’s the consequence-free greed-driven nature of its founder that seems to be more appalling. Much like 2013’s Wolf Of Wall Street, there is no sense of justice at the conclusion. There are no consequences. The douchebag won. This honesty being a far cry from the usual ‘good trumps evil’ template we’re used to.
When that obsession of getting more goes beyond a certain point, the need for decency and morals slowly start disintegrating. Sociologist Brooke Harrington, who had interviewed a couple of wealth managers of the super rich for her research had this to say:
“The lives of the richest people in the world are so different from those of the rest of us, it’s almost literally unimaginable. National borders are nothing to them. They might as well not exist. The laws are nothing to them. They might as well not exist.” [Source]
An exemplary scene from the movie is when Ray is discussing a new product with his business partner couple, Rollie and Joan Smith. Ray, inspite of being married himself, is deeply attracted to Joan and keeps stealing glances at her while trying to have a mature business conversation. The scene slowly progresses to Ray holding the reins of the conversation while isolating the husband, Rollie Smith, from the exchange. Gradually, Joan is subtly locked in Ray’s aggressive gaze. The two later share a drink from the same glass, drinking deliberately from the same side. Kissing without kissing, while the husband helplessly sits on the sideline.
This particular meeting, apart from being the best scene in the movie, shows the blatant disregard for norms Ray Kroc embodies in order to fulfil his desires. A disregard that may be necessary in order to not be pulled back by morals and ethics. A trait common amongst most of the innovators of our century. This brazen attitude is further cemented by making their work not just a necessity of the self, but for the progress of society altogether. Or so it is believed.
The Founder might not be a great great movie. But its honest. And it never slows down, enough to keep you glued and interested. And if there’s one reason to watch it, at the risk of sounding unfair to the rest of the crew: It’s Michael Keaton. He manages to get into the skin of the character with all his neurotic peppiness and obsessive indifference with absolute flair. (If you watch any of Ray Kroc’s interviews and compare it to the movie, you’ll know what I’m talking about.)
And the one thing that might leave a couple of people with a bad taste in their mouth at the end of the movie is how unfazed he is. Even while ploughing through and ripping off the original McDonald brothers, he is only enthusiastically looking for the next step. A nod to the subtle foreshadowing that happens early in the movie when Ray’s wife asks him on when he’ll stop constantly chasing and running after things. “Never.” He replies in a very matter of fact tone.
Extending the philosophy of the film: It’s not about ambition. Not about rules or morals. Not about how good you are or what good you can do. All that doesn’t matter.
It’s only about one thing. Persistence.
