Synchronistically to my post about business being a noble calling, I found someone who really hit the nail on the head. It is from the winter Cato Institute Letter, and is titled "Entrepreneurs Are the Heroes of the World."
During the last 100 years, we have created more wealth, reduced poverty more, and increased life expectancy more than in the previous 100,000 years. That happened because of entrepreneurs, thinkers, creators and innovators.
Thanks, ExtraEagle for the link.
Technorati Tags: entrepreneurs, heroes, cato
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Hey Bruce, long time no see!
I like the site and I agree with what I take to be the basic principle underlying most of what you’re talking about: Being an employee is a suckers bet. If you want control of your life and your income, stop being a worker bee making someone else rich.
I do take issue with the fairly one-sided and rosy picture you paint of entrepreneurship. Yes, it has had all of the benefits you enumerated, but it comes with a price: Environmental degradation, overpopulation, economic exploitation, high levels of personal debt, consumer culture, etc…
It could be argues that increased wealth and longer lifespans fly in the face of what Mother Nature intended. We’ve thrown off her equilibrium. What’s going to happen when she makes corrections? Maybe we’ve bought X number of generations a better quality of life (for some), but it’s not sustainable.
Just my two cents.
Good luck striking out on your own!
Good to hear from you Chris. I hope all is well in your new position.
My counter-argument is that the wealth & technology generated by entrepreneurs is basically the only chance we have to dig our way out of the environmental hole.