GOOD-centric Exterior Spiritual Disciplines:
To live out goodness, fairness, and love
GOOD-centric Goodness in Economics
“I ask you to ensure that humanity is served by wealth and not ruled by it."
~ Pope Francis, Davos World Economic Forum, Jan. 2014
GOOD-centrics value goodness, fancy that. Money can be good or bad depending on how it is made and how it is used. GOOD-centric economic production would be good in both its process and its product. GOOD-centric economic consumption would encourage GOOD-centric economic production by purchasing good products from companies with good processes. It's a win-win!
GOOD-centric Economic Production
GOOD-centric companies would use ethical means to produce products that benefit society or, at least, do little harm. Ethical means would involve the loving, good, and fair treatment of labor as well as methods of production and delivery which are as good as possible to the environment. Production that harms the environment would pay for that impact in the monetary amount necessary to negate it. GOOD-centric companies would not be solely focused on profits; however, profits would come from devoted consumers willing to pay a little extra to vote with their purse for positive social and environmental impacts. GOOD-centric workers, treated with love, goodness, and fairness, would be devoted to the mission of their companies which would build loyalty and hard work. Money would not be the only incentive for either the company or the worker.
GOOD-centric Economic Consumption
Is it a good thing if the economy makes money by causing harm? More and more people (aka consumers) and therefore companies think not. President-Elect Trump has been urged to honor the Paris climate agreement by 360 businesses including DuPont, Unilever, and Hewlett Packard. Patagonia donated 100% of its 2016 Black Friday sales to environmental groups. Did these companies all of a sudden develop a conscience that put good before profit? It is more likely that these companies recognize that consumers are focusing more and more on ethical good; therefore, the companies must do good to retain consumer loyalty in a competitive marketplace.
Let's grow this trend toward goodness! Shop with a social conscience by using the DoneGood Chrome extension or iOS app or the original GoodGuide app that helped consumers make good choices based on company-level environmental and socials scores and product-level health scores. Labeling products with such information would provide accountability and allow consumers to pay an extra 50 cents if they find doing so a worthy investment in an improved world.
Let's also support socially responsible investing which is made up of mutual funds, public and union pension funds, and research organizations that monitor corporate behavior and publish score cards based on an assessment of how they treat customers, workers, the environment and their communities. Putting a GOOD-centric spin on John Lennon's “If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace” sentiment: If every consumer demanded ethically good products instead of the cheapest possible products, then there'd be good products.
