The business of business is business

But seriously, is it? Or rather, does it 'have' to be? Come question with me...

Many of you are familiar with the general idea that the purpose of business is to maximise profits. Friedman is often quoted in this arena, but as I’ve already covered, this isn’t a new idea. Internalisation of most value and externalisation of most cost is a feature, not a bug, of corporatism (and perhaps to some extent, capitalism and the economic theories that help reinforce its core value tenets).

With this (and a bunch of other reasonably systemic considerations) in mind, I’ve previously made the claim that most business is now net harmful.

But, for the curious explorers amongst us, you might be thinking, surely it doesn’t ‘have’ to be this way? Perhaps it could be different…?

I believe it can.

In a very general sense, I believe we have to reorient the focus of our formal organising structures so that we explicitly aim to bring life back within planetary boundaries while raising social foundations (these two things need to be approached together). This can, in theory at least, result in a world where everyone has their basic material needs well and truly met, in a way that supports a complex, diverse and beautiful human civilisation for many millennia to come.

If something like this happened - a fundamental shift in collective teleology if you will - then the purpose of the formal organising structure (which could take many ‘legal forms’) would be to deliver some type of material or immaterial value to individuals, families, communities and society at large. Delivery of value, not extraction of value, is the goal.

Kicking off such an endeavour would require capital of many forms. It might result in something like a phase of growth, the direct result of the value that is being delivered. Over time, like all other contexts in this universe, we would observe a period that represents something like stasis. From this point, after some appropriate duration, we would expect a degrowth phase. This could be the result of the proposition no longer being needed. Therefore the organisation might ‘die’, if you will (something we would learn to celebrate, rather than nervously avoid). It’s nutrients would be repurposed for some other normative aim. Alternatively, the organisation’s holistic value delivery model may no longer meet the needs of those it serves (in a genuinely ecological sense). It could then strategically biodegrade that which is unhelpful, repurpose resources and better direct said resources towards whatever is genuinely valuable in its broader relational context.

The crazy thing is, our beliefs about the purpose of business are just that, beliefs. Yes they are intersubjective (which is a big thing). Yes they are legally, politically and economically instantiated (also a big thing). But they are beliefs that we formed. As a result, they are beliefs we can evolve.

There’s real power in this folks. The basic realisation that we have made this stuff up gives us the power to rethink, reorient and redesign.

We need not sit back idly. We can be part of seeding new conditions. We can actively participate in what emerges. We, and countless future generations, can be beneficiaries of the choices we make together right here and right now.

For some such an approach feels like a loss (it will literally mean far less income and wealth disparity. In fact, it has to. This is a system that has limits amigos). For most, such a world can be a radical gain.

If your knee jerk reaction to this is suggesting I’m a goddam commie. I get it. That which you believe runs very deep. And few have taken the time to explore the nuances of social organisation over spacetime (something that is far more colourful than most folks realise).

It need not be a capitalism / communism divide. In fact, we have to step away from such binaries. What we need, what will serve us best going forward, is yet to be invented and meaningfully implemented.

We are a truly incredible species. We have the capacity to imagine, then literally shape the world. This is niche construction on Ronnie Coleman level steroids.

And, if we’re willing to take that hard look in the mirror I so often talk about, question it all, reconnect with our values and live in closer relation to that, we might well participate in the best niche construction any human has ever been a part of.

To close, recognising my goal here is to plant a stimulatory seed, I ask that you sit with this. Take your time. Consider many possibilities. Come back to me with curiosity fulled critique (I’m always happy to dive MUCH deeper in dialogue).

Enjoy the process. With love as always.