Life in Small Bites

The ‘market’ is not the Stock Market.  The Stock Market is not the ‘economy’ or the best indicator of what products and services are creating the highest social value. It is a win/lose game that preys on hope and re-directs investments to non-productive processes.

The money invested in the stock market does not go to the companies. No R&D or product/service improvements are created by buying the stock of a company as none of the money invested is received by the company.  The money is traded between brokers and stock account holders.  No product or service is ever created.

Without the influence of the stock holders the leaders of a company are responsible for managing their business in way that creates profits.  Profits result from efficiently managing costs and sales of products/services that are purchased by customers.  When the products/services increase their social value, as perceived by the customers, profits rise.  Profits that are re-invested in products/services improvement that are appreciated by customers generally increase.  Guiding this process is the job of responsible leaders.

Now, more than ever, we require courageous responsible ‘real market’ leaders – in our businesses and our governments. Not stock holder controlled businesses or governments who focus primarily on increased share price and not improved products.

Leaders should be catalysts focused on innovation and energy release. Responsible leaders should be facilitating inspiring conveners stimulating changing conditions for potential progress.  Conditions change because we do.  Conditions get better because we do.

Especially our government leaders must become aware that they don’t have all of the right answers.  They must start again and ask better questions.

In the late 1990’s Alan Greenspan cautioned us of the condition of ‘Irrational Exuberance”.  I suggest that we must now aggressively combat the disease of ‘Irrational Complacency’.  As a proud American I feel that too often our nation is  being inoculated into inactivity with continual doses of the refrains, “We are the greatest nation, We are the greatest innovators. We are the greatest  ____”.  These refrains may have had more truth for the ‘Greatest Generation.’ Today their effect is to lull too many persons into complacency which breeds resistance to change – to progress.

While many doddle in America the world has changed – has progressed through ‘globalization’, world-around ‘connectivity’, highly-skilled comparatively low-pay workers, people elsewhere willing to save, sacrifice, and work ever harder for a perceived better tomorrow.  At this same time, too many Americans have been cajoled into believing that we are in a temporary economic dip and that the former ‘good times’ will return so no change in regulations, policies, attitudes, or actions are required.

Isn’t this what the entrenched enriched benefactors of past practices are preaching?  “Don’t panic, don’t change, we like it as it is.” – for it has greatly benefitted us, the recipients of inordinate societal wealth.  Many have exchanged no social value.

I contend that change is absolutely necessary.  Change in the mindsets of the general public and especially our leaders.  We must recognize that there has been a ‘paradigm shift’ in where and how sustainable comprehensive social wealth will be created in North America and Western Europe.  We can’t expect this to be promoted by the current rich in Western societies.  When kings fell it was the royal court who suffered.

As the virtual ‘royals’ largely control public messaging it is important to pierce the veil of their pretended social conscientiousness, reveal the impact of narrow self-aggrandizing public and business policies, and let free markets instruct us as to what is wanted and needed for expanded economic opportunity for the general public.