Lance

More housekeeping - I've been referring to Dad as John, just because that's the name he's posting by. On the extreme off chance somebody other than one of us reads any of this, I thought that would help eliminate confusion.

Although Steve's vocabulary will provide far more confusion than I can ever eliminate.

The quote you (John) mentioned before was from a Scottish academic, Alexander Tytler - there's actually some dispute about its authenticity. I can send you the whole thing when I get back to work next week (society hasn't collapsed since I left the office, so I figure I can risk a few more days).

We are all afflicted with greed to one degree or another. I certainly am. Greed even gets the better of me sometimes - mostly when I'm at a family event where there's way too much food.

Humans are flawed, greedy, and will break the rules to satisfy that greed. That doesn't disprove the basic premise of my original post - that to satisfy our greed, we have to find a way to serve others.

I want stuff, above and beyond what I need to take care of my family. To get it, I have to find something I can provide that somebody else wants. Failing to find anything anybody else wants, I have to work for the government.

I could get really greedy, and demand twice my salary. Nobody will pay, so I have to temper my greed. A store owner has to temper his greed, or risk driving off customers with high prices.

There are examples in which this model doesn't work - there are industries which are as good as monopolies.

I would point out, though, that Enron - John's example - was exposed, and its officers criminally charged. People break the law, and eventually the law will catch up.

Free enterprise isn't a perfect system, because it's being operated by flawed human beings. However, it's the best system that exists. It has been the source of unending improvement in the human condition.

Maybe this is because it takes a reality that won't be denied (human greed) and gives it a purpose. I'll have to think about that some more later. Right now, I'm on vacation.