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Changing ethics in business

As I’ve written, Wall Street is in need of change. Business practices in general need a new outlook: one from an ethical and cultural standpoint. The world is changing and the foundations of business are being shaken. One large issue, among others, is the decided ignorance of the cultural and spiritual dimension, and not only in the short term for profits. Large firms and corporations must truly integrate other cultures’ ideas into their plans, as well as cater to their different needs. The goal in business now is unlimited growth. The world is seeing the very impossibility of such an idea right now. An organism cannot grow outside its own means without it dying. Businesses are now consuming the the means they live by if they prey on people. Greed is the goal for achieving growth, which is not sustainable.

At the Parliament Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 children from the favelas (slums) of Rio shared their stories of scrambling for food every day. One girl said how she had to steal food to share it with her younger brother. Not only is the system ignoring our children, the future, but they still have the kind heart to share the little they do have. Businesses have something to learn from the very people they benefit by exploiting: the children, the poor, the homeless. Greed only gets you so far. To really survive you must share and link what you have together. Then you can enjoy what you have for much longer and without the exploitation of so many.… Continue reading

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Breaking Barriers

During the winter of 1990 the Global Forum that Akio coordinated took place in Moscow, Russia, with the final ceremony being held in the Kremlin. A great thing happened that day that showed much promise for cultures coming together and allowing sacrifices for the whole to move forward. There were threats announced that day on many Baltic states, and President Gorbachev had to call an unexpected meeting in the Kremlin during the time scheduled for the final ceremonies of the Forum. The Forum was able to bear with these scheduling changes, but had to move their ceremonies until later that evening. Coincidentally, it was pushed into the Sabbath, and so the Jewish members of the Forum suddenly had a challenge to face. With much behind-the-scenes scrambling, the meeting went forth and Akio and President Gorbachev, among others, decided that indeed sacrifices would have to be made by all in order to close the ceremonies. Many of the Jewish attendees, including the rabbi members and even Carl Sagan prayed together in the basement of the Kremlin to welcome the Sabbath into a cold building with an entirely different focus by nature. The colossal adjustments of the rabbis allowed the procession to go forth and the ceremonies closed with a tremendous speech by President Gorbachev and others, urging in the modern environmental movement with all stunned by the power of the sacrifice and adjustments that had been made to keep the meeting scheduled. Great political and religious figures both bowed their heads in the name of cooperation and each made sacrifices in order to allow the whole group to meet.… Continue reading