Is there any industry where humans are better off thanks to profit motive?

Question

Healthcare: The US has far and away the most expensive healthcare in the world and it doesn't result in better outcomes or even in full coverage of the population.

Housing: Its more profitable for landlords to sell to real estate investors than it is to actually house people.

Education: Grading is curved to keep students money coming in and there is a widespread shift of pay and focus from the actual teachers towards administrators who try to run the schools more and more like a business.

Any production: Companies will fight tooth and nail against pollution controls, worker protections and will crank out the lowest quality goods they can get away with to maximize profit per unit and make sure it breaks and you come back for more.

Transportation: Pushing drivers to speed and drive as many hours a day as you can to minimize time between shipments or taxi fares.

I really can't see any industry where profit motive doesn't run directly against the public good.

Posted Aug 25, 2017, 12:58 PM UTC

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