| Priorities and loyalties sometimes seem askew, yes. There are various causes: being taught that one ought to be ashamed of good fortune or success; that those who are powerful are necessarily corrupt (Lord Acton did a lot of damage with that adage); that, in fact, the successful necessarily win at the expense of others (true in some forms of competition, but not in others). In fact, in a capitalist economy, although there may be winners and losers, overall, success is socially beneficial, because it means that one has brought a valuable product or service to markeet, or figured out a more efficient way of doing business, and the consumer benefits, along with investors and employees. Power does not necessarily corrupt, because it is is gained at the price of responsibility, and one has shareholders, customers, and the public to answer to. There is no shame in being fortunate, unless one blows the opportunity....... |
