"McDonald's and Exxon-Mobil exist for exactly the same purpose. Yes, one of them
sells billions of hamburgers, while the other pumps billions of barrels of oil,
but grease is not the common interest they share. It's money. McDonald's
Corporation exists to make money, not McRibs. If the corporation thinks it can
make more money by making high quality burgers at a high price, it will do that.
If it can make more money by making low quality burgers at a low price, it will
do that. And if they can get away with making low quality burgers at a high
price, they will do that -- with great joy."
This isn't breaking news, of course they are after money and it is a good thing that they are. Do you think that people would drill for the oil that we need to keep our economy moving just for the fun of it? While I can hear you saying that they shouldn't be drilling for oil, that is well and good, but until a real substitute comes along we need it.
What this little essay is missing is the role in the free market of the consumer. It is true that if the consumers are stupid enough to pay richly for cheap food, that is what they are going to get. The problem of course is that the restaurant next door will try and charge a little less, so they have the choice to make. If you want quality food, shop where you know they serve quality. If you want companies to give their workers health care, shop at places that do.
I am going to add another idea to this. We are also workers. If we are at a company that is not treating us right, we have the right to find a job with a company that will. In the market of labor, if the good workers insist on being treated well for their services by choosing to only work for companies that do. More companies will have to respond with better treatment for employees to retain strong workers.
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