Also I'm not just referring to charity. I'm referring to regulation in general. We're talking not just tax incentives but the EPA, the FDA, the SEC, etc. Do you think the world would be a better place without any of those institutions or institutions that serve their purpose?

Our forefathers clearly didn't (hence them creating the damned institutions) but I want to know if you agree with the historical precedent of necessary regulation. Or if you think that companies (not people) would have the moral fiber to not put cheap poisonous shit in your food and pollute the environment and ultimately you (eating polluted fucking fish isn't good for you).

When did I say that we should de-regulate the entire country? Did I convey that position?

Of course SOME regulation is a necessity.

thrax, you did say that already, but that doesnt line-up with the stereotype that BO is fighting against.

I was referring to deadcode (a radical libertarian) when I originally said what I said. This was Rob's reply:

"This is a very shortsighted viewpoint. One of the best ways to increase sales and profits is to become a visible contributor to the local community where corporations are located. Charitable events are sponsored by corporations. Donations for hospitals, healthcare facilities, scholarship funds, and a variety of other causes are massively funded by corporations.

For fuck sake, look no further than Bill Gates and his fight to iradicate like 100 illnesses throughout the world and you'd realize that corporations are not all evil and self-fulfilling.

I think you have a bad case of one bad apple spoils the whole bunch. If one company fucks up (i.e. BP or Enron), you hear about it in the news for months and years. You don't pay attention to the thousands of companies that do good every single day."

I think the more accurate metaphor is there's a lot of apples in that bunch, a few might be good but most are going bad. You need Uncle Sam to keep them from going bad or else you'll be stuck with a lot of rotten fruit.

BO, i think you might benefit from reading about Corporate Social Responsibility. The basic principle of the concept is called 'triple bottom line' which is simply defined as profit, planet and people. I read a fantastic article (http://capelin.com/cap2/wp-content/uploads/Cover_Story_Corporate_Social_Responsibility_as_the_New_Business_Model_Capelin_Dec_2010_SMPS_Marketer.pdf) on the topic in the SMPS (Professional Services Marketing Group) magazine earlier this year and through it I learned of the 1% Solution (www.theoncepercent.org) the idea of a group called Public Architecture in SF. It encourages architects to donate 1% of their billable hours to pro bono work.

i guess the summary of the article would be - 'let yourself get caught doing good deeds'

(one of the oldest definitions of public relations)