At a time when the worlds financial markets are in a turmoil, the like of which we have never seen before, and trust between banks at its lowest point, the author offers a perspective on the cause of this dilemma.

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A neighbour of mine works in the call centre for a well known insurance company. The Principle was keen for staff to do their bit in the community and encouraged them to support charitable activities, such as donating blood during office hours.

When he sold out to a large corporation this practice was discontinued by the new owners. On Remembrance Day members of the switchboard were told to ignore the two minutes silence as it would cost too much in lost revenue. The staff ignored the instruction and I believe the matter was not mentioned again.

My youngest son is exuding the early symptoms of a stomach ulcer at the age of 24. He used to work for a company that does a lot of its account work over the telephone, with the accompanying daily pressure to attain targets. To ignore health symptoms of this nature in the unremitting pressure to achieve profits is akin to a state of addictive denial, which results in irresponsible actions of the type experienced by my son.

I cite these examples out of many to illustrate my belief that modern business is displaying all of the symptoms of addiction. If you accept that addiction is a human condition and business is run by humans, I believe profit is an addictive side effect of money. After all, the poppy is a beautiful flower but has less attractive derivatives in opium and heroin. Grain and grape are harmless foods until distilled.

The symptoms of addiction I allude to include:

a) Irrational behaviour - A total focus on profit, to the exclusion of all else

b) Obsessive behaviour - Justifying all actions without regard for human dignity.

c) Attainment of the “profit high” at all costs, irrespective of the impact upon others (Staff, Suppliers, the Environment)

d) Denial -That a) b) and c) above, are not the case

In the pursuit of profit a couple of hundred years ago Britain became “Great” on the back of the slave trade. Is it the tantalising myth of “something for nothing” that profit proffers which produces scant regard for the human misery its attainment often causes? And why is it that often it induces us to fall seriously short of the higher ideals we try to operate and pursue in most other areas of our lives?

We may possibly find justification for our actions because we are hunter/gatherers and need to fulfil this basic human drive. I have no problem with this and the excitement it brings. I enjoyed that excitement for many years and it does seem to fill a requirement within us to experience achievement.

However, the excitement that came from hunting for food was tempered by the fact that if we took too much it did not benefit us proportionately, because it rotted back into the ground when not eaten. We can hoard profit and this subtle difference is something we have not devoted any time to in better understanding how we operate as a species with this aspect of our activity.

Perhaps the challenge is to understand better our reactions to profit and try to evolve to a point where we are its master and not the opposite, which has been the case throughout history. To this end, in subtly changing our belief in the emphasis of financial disciplines by introducing other equally important rewards, might we achieve a more diversely satisfying method of exciting and stimulating our instincts, with broader benefits to society?

I know, corporations and business in general do a lot for charity and fulfill an important need. However, the manner in which this activity is conducted does not seem to temper the aggressive approach to profits that modern business has adopted. In part this is down to the sheer size of modern business, which means it becomes increasingly detached from the community in a way that could never happen when small businesses dominated the high street.

In an environment where a bank that makes hundreds of millions of pounds of profit then declares like Bill Gates, that it is putting a fair percentage back, creates a different outlook to its activities.

An action of this type generates a closer connection with the communities that support it, rather than the increasing separateness from customers that modern business practices induces through of shareholder priority.

The only way to counter this separation is to introduce greater balance into the primary objectives of the business process. The current confines of profit are extremely restrictive in determining the corporate objectives and the ensuing affect upon business practice.

Utilising its wealth to develop people, families and communities creates a broader definition of achievement than simply paying money to shareholders. Within this wider remit lie the seeds of social nourishment and self esteem, inherent and important attributes fundamental to us all as a species.

In no way could the operation of the business be changed to nullify the necessary excitement that making the money provides, and which fulfils an important drive within us. Spreading the use to which the profit is applied outside of the business operation however, would broaden our own sense of achievement and contribute to a feeling that we are now much more masters of the money we handle, rather than its servant.

Adjusting the emphasis to include personal development of people and communities would also have a positive affect upon our collective self esteem. The provision of apprenticeships was a responsibility that business used to undertake willingly to ensure a level of quality in the products and services it provided, but now seems to have fallen by the wayside.

Any training is provided by specialist trainers and financed by the employee. I know it can be argued that this commitment by the employee is a sound measure of willingness to learn. However the perception of greed by the public puts another nail in the coffin of social responsibility versus shareholder responsibility, and the wider implications this has on an increasingly fragmented society.

Maybe another compromise between the extremes of capitalism and communism is to take out of the arena of profit those services that represent our basic necessities, such as homes, food, heating, lighting and basic forms of travel. What is left can be utilised to fulfil our hunter gatherer instincts and desire for risk.

Or maybe we need to find a completely new method by which to experience risk and reward, which does not overwhelm our well being in the manner apparent today.

In the present climate I worry that we have finally arrived at what the late Ted Heath referred to in the 60’s as "the unacceptable face of Capitalism"

Authors Bio:
At a time when this planet and its inhabitants do not appear to be working in synergy, causing serious imbalances and Global Warming, I offer a personal view of our current plight in a combination of personal experiences, science, religion and psychology.
If your questions are not getting answers from a single belief system, as previously mine did not, I hope my perspectives on life may stimulate further thought for you. I am a member of the human race and it is in this context that I offer my own observations on life as a possible contribution to our development – a right available to us all.
Born and bred in London, in addition to Wendy my partner of 10 years, and my children - Rob, Mike and Sue, I love Rugby, Motor Racing, Scuba Diving, Furniture Restoration, Books, Wine and Cooking Good Food.