It's quite fun being in the studio four mornings in a row reading the daily thoughts out live. Julian Clegg is an impressive DJ to watch in action - seeming to be able to talk whilst reading the next item and sounding laid back despite the often chaotic scenes in the studio around him. I get about ten seconds to talk to him during the jingles and then thats it - I'm in and out!
Todays thought can be heard here.
Day 4:
Good morning.
In my final thought this week, inspired by the book “life of Pi”, I want to dwell on a comment made by the heroes dad when they are busy selling all the animals in their zoo, ready to emigrate from India to Canada. Being a good zoo-keeper the father is keen that all the animals go to a good home, and ruefully muses that the greater good and the greater profit are not always compatible aims.
I was really struck by this comment especially in a time of financial austerity when everything we hear in the news is about cutting services, stopping building projects, reducing pensions and people losing jobs. Yes of course we need companies and an economy that is sustainable, however sometimes we should ask whether it is actually pursuing the “greater good” to put balance sheets before the needs of people, especially in organisations such as government whose whole purpose is to serve and look after society. Is it actually pursuing the greater good to have an economy that is bigger and better than everyone elses, or should we sometimes temper our ambitions by remembering that the greater profit and the greater good are not the same thing?
Similarly on a personal level, once we have achieved a standard of living that meets our basic needs, should we now stop and consider how our extra time and resources are spent? Do we just look for “more, better, now” or do we try to enjoy life and perhaps even make a difference? If the greater good and the greater profit are not always compatible, which of the two are we pursuing?
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