Business

I will admit to being conservative in my business practices. I don't like mixing business with pleasure or friendship. I don't believe in incurring unmanageable debt. Written negotiation and commitment are the only way I do business. I have also found that being an openly gay man has made me vulnerable to homophobic disrespect and chicanery in business situations. I take special care.

The current lack of ethical culture in business is very obvious to me. The banks and real estate cowboys who brought down our economy got away without punishment and, in some cases, made more money off rescue attempts by the U.S. government. President Obama presided over this debacle as much as his predecessor. A bad role model indeed, despite his pious declarations about "rule of Law". 

Scams and scammers abound on the Web. Buying a simple piece of durable clothing without flaws or faulty workmanship can be a challenge. Box stores charge a 'repackaging fee' when they take back faulty merchandise they sold to you. Selling real estate is a mine-field of bank appraisers with conflicting interests and basic mistrust between sellers and buyers, promoted by the brokerage process. 

All this can be very discouraging. However, what is the alternative choice in an industrialized and monetized  world? I have had to rely on my practice to moderate anxiety and stick to my principles. I meditate daily to keep my balance. I prioritize my own mental and physical needs to stay healthy. I am happy to not be hedonistic or materialistic. Those driving motives can be deadly in an unethical business culture. Ask the Madoffs and their friends. 

Society reflects its values in its behaviors. Today's mindless materialism and hedonism at the top of the socioeconomic pyramid have infected the entire business spectrum. While pollsters tout the Faith and religiosity of Americans, this love of dogmatic morality is not at all displayed in the marketplace. I smile to think that a secular humanist needs to point this out as Bible-thumping politicians, like Michele Bachmann, a self-praising businesswoman,  rail against paying taxes to assist those who have less.