Something that has been lost

Maybe business was never was as altruistic as set out in the exchange between Humphrey Bogart and William Holden in the 1954 film Sabrina, but the great captains of early 20^th century industry were driven by a lot more than the bottom line.

When companies state "our aim is to deliver the bast shareholder value" they betray their customers who contribute to that wealth.

The articulation of capitalism from the old film is worth revisiting:

Linus Larrabee is talking to his brother David, with enthusiasm, about a new plastic.

Daivd: . . . you’ve got all the money in the world.

Linus: What’s money got to do with it? If making money was all there was to business, it wouldn't be worth going to the office. Making money isn't the main point of business. Money is a by-product.

David: What's the main objective? Power?

Linus: Ah! That's become a dirty word.

David: What's the urge? You're going into plastics. What will that prove?

Linus: Prove? Nothing much. A new product has been found, something of use to the world. So a new industry moves into an undeveloped area. Factories go up, machines are brought in a harbor is dug, and you're in business. It's coincidental, of course, that people who've never seen a dime before now have a dollar and barefooted kids wear shoes, have their teeth fixed and their faces washed. What's wrong with an urge that gives people libraries, hospitals, baseball diamonds and movies on a Saturday night?