Ethics and the World Crisis

Old business model: fast, good, and cheap (choose two). New business model: environmental balance, global values, profitability (aim for all three). While the successful marriage of business and world ethics may sound like a fairytale, it is the individual consumer voting with his or her wallet/purse--not corporate greed or politics--that can effectively bring about socially responsible economic change. In this wonderfully diverse "town meeting" held in New York on September 23, 2003, moderator Robert Thurman is joined by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama for a panel discussion exploring the connection between ethics and the media (with Susan Sarandon, Amy Goodman, and Katrina Vanden Heuvel), economics (with Amy Domini, Russell Simmons, and Ben Cohen--cofounder of Ben & Jerry's), the environment (with Paul Hawken, Randall Hayes, and David Crow), and the politics of peace (with Dr. Helen Caldicott, Dennis Kucinich, and Reverend Al Sharpton). As each panel participant presents a question--Is our media filtered through the corporate lens? Is business inherently evil? Is it possible to enrich the global community and reach long-term profitability? How do we address worldwide environmental problems and diminishing resources?--the Dalai Lama responds with charm, hope, and humor. His message is paramount yet simple: we can't just say this is wrong or that is evil, we must "do" by our own example, each of us teaching others about setting social, political, and personal priorities (or, His Holiness, quips “[sending] non-violent S.W.A.T. teams to go and to listen"). A thought-provoking discussion that argues against the usual quick-fix solutions and for a revolutionary change of heart, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (N. Plympton)