| “A criminal is a person with predatory instincts without sufficient capital to form a corporation”. (Howard Scott) Giants are no longer mythological characters created by human imagination. At the turn of 19th Century, technological advancement on biotechnology makes artificial breeding of giants possible. Within a year, such practise is approved and legitimized by the government; the giant population multiplies. For over a century, giants have been walking down the streets with their Nike shoes on. Seemingly infallible, wealthy, and respected by the society, they are now recognized as powerful individuals with legitimate identities. Men, taking pride from their groundbreaking scientific innovation, come up with a prominent name for their creation. They call them the Corporation; or the corporate giant – a name that generates skepticism among economists, takes over the media, and creates fear in those who walk under the giant shadow. Over the course of the twentieth century, the popular perception of America's giant corporations has undergone astonishing change. Today, corporations function according to a simple-minded and pathological philosophy: the single-minded pursuit of profits. Joel Bakan, author of The Corporation: the Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power, states his criticism on corporations by providing detailed descriptions of their pathological personality. At the same time, related books written by different authors also hold similar themes on corporate roles and behaviours. Charles Fishman, author of The Wal-Mart Effect, describes Wal-Mart as a collective psychopath; an artificial person whose decisions are motivated by self-interest. After integrating the viewpoints of Bakan and Fishman from relevant business articles, one common view is observed: corporate giants are arrogant predators, amoral and heartless. In order to survive, nothing is more important than making maximum money in minimum time. For this reason, moral actions are never placed at the top of their priority list. Driven by self-interest, the corporations adopt various cunning tactics such as endorsing corporate social responsibility (CSR), and other business regulating policies that promote and uphold business ethics. However, the society eventually comes to realize that giants are professional liars. The so-called ethical principles are merely superficial guidelines to camouflage their scandalous selfish behaviours. It is a business fallacy that leads to human damnation – a tragedy of the commons ingrained in human nature. |
