“Do corporations exist solely to maximize their bottom lines? We don’t think so.” Forbes Magazine, February 2008
I’ve made statements like that for over 20 years. I’ve been laughed at, ridiculed, and have at times questioned my own sanity. But that was then and this is now. Now, in addition to Bill Gates, Lee Scott, and The Economist, just when I thought there was no pillar of traditional capitalism left to fall – Forbes Magazine, the self described “Capitalist Tool” – announces in a thoughtful article headlined, Capitalism 2.0: Do corporations exist solely to maximize their bottom lines? We don’t think so. Someone asked me yesterday if anything I read on the internet ever inspires me. My answer was no. But this recognition of the role that business must play in the world certainly brightens up my day.