Role of business?

I was reading the interview with Kevin Roberts, author of Lovemarks, on Tom Peters' site. This statement by Kevin jumped off the page:

I think the role of business is to make the world a better place for everyone. We're going to do that by giving people choices, giving them self-esteem. But fundamentally, we'll do this by including the 2.3 billion people who exist on less than $2 a day, and turning them into active participants in a free, capitalistic, choice-driven, self-esteem-driven market.

Ok, let me make sure I understood that: Self-esteem comes from buying crap we don't need. Got it. Wow, this has been the subtle message of advertising for decades, but no one has so clearly articulated it before. Thanks, Kevin.

Comments

[aleah sato]

You're right, David, western corporations have really improved the economic situation, not to mention the environmental integrity, of most third world countries/citizens they have "selflessly" employed. Riiighhht.

[David Foster]

Wow, and here I always thought that people in impoverished countries were worried about things like mslnutrition and bad water supplies. I guess with self-esteem, you don't need to worry about such minor things.

For an analysis of the role of business in reducing poverty which is written by a serious person, read "The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid," by C K Prahalad.

[aleah sato]

Wow, and here I always thought self-esteem was more complex than a simple matter of purchasing power.