What scares the f*ck out of you?

[xoxoxoBruce]

No we are not. No matter how many Shapiros, Cochrans, Baileys, Dershowitzs, Kardashians, or Archies you can afford, if you did it you're fucking guilty.

[Lamplighter]

OK, you win. Peace.

[henry quirk]

No sir, it (business) does not.

You confuse means with ends.

The only purpose of a business (what 'it' does) is to make a profit for the owners of the business.

How does 'it' do this?

By selling products and/or services to folks who want those products or services (or who have been convinced [by way of marketing] they want those products or services).

Business is not about selflessness or altruism or 'service'...it -- again -- is about making money for the owners of the business.

Now, I understand why this ('a business engages in commerce to serve the public') is attractive to some folks (I'm entitled, I'm owed, I deserve, etc.) but it's a false notion, a pernicious lie, and you'd do well to disabuse yourself of it.

[tw]

Originally Posted by henry quirk

The only purpose of a business (what 'it' does) is to make a profit for the owners of the business.
.

Your basic premise is completely wrong. The purpose of communism is to enrich the Central Party. The purpose of the mafia is to enrich the godfather. The purpose in GM is to protect bonuses of top management. In every case, that is corruption.

The purpose of the electric company is to move electricity. The purpose of the water company is to move water. The purpose of banks is to move money. In every case, profit are only a reward - not the purpose.

When a company exists to enrich itself, then it is no different from the mafia. The mafia will break your legs if necessary to make a profit. Mafia does not care about destruction to the economy, peoples lives, and their long term survival. When profits become the purpose, then corrupt exists.

A company can either work for better products or for profits. Those that are patriotic Americans advance mankind by innovating - making better products. Those who have done so much harm (ie GM, AT&T, HP under Fironia, IBM under Akers, AIG, Ford under Henry Ford and Nasser, etc) were only interested in profits. GM is the perfect example. They even covered up the murder of Cobalt drivers for 14 years to only protect profits. Jeep explode for the same reason Pintos also burned their occupant alive. Because profits (not the product) was imporant.

The purpose of a law firm is to represent individuals. Lawyer are taught to defend people who they do not even agree with. The Civil Liberties Union defended Nazis (in Wisconsin?) because that is the purpose of that law firm. They need not agree with Nazis. But that is their job. That is what they said they will do. Defending clients you might hate is called professionalism.

Meanwhile, your religion is only between you and your god. It does not belong anywhere that it might be imposed on others. Once anyone does anything to others in the name of their religion, then their religion is Satanism. Religion is only a relationship between you and your god. It must never affect anyone else. America was founded (populated) by people who believed exactly that. By people who were fleeing from scumbags who would impose their religion on others.

Does not matter what your religion says. Patriotic American believe all people (no matter what their color, religion, sex, dimensions, etc) are equal. Only scumbag people like Hitler, Crusaders, ISIS, and Likud made judgments based in religion. Same people can also be brainwashed in the lie about what a company's purpose is.

[henry quirk]

"profit are only a reward - not the purpose."

The end is profit; the means is the selling of product or service.

The means serve the end.

#

"A company can either work for better products or for profits."

The only reason for a company to improve a product or service is to increase profit.

#

"The purpose of a law firm is to represent individuals"

No. Its purpose is to make money for the lawyers...these 'fine' men and women (lawyers) make money though the practice of 'law' (navigating systems of rules).

#

*"Only scumbag people like Hitler, Crusaders, ISIS, and Likud made judgments based in religion. Same people can also be brainwashed in the lie about what a company's purpose is."

HA!

If you believe any business exists for any reason other than profit, then you’re naive...and a nitwit.

Also: (for this*) I believe, tw, you can go fuck yourself...hard...deep...with a broom handle (no lube).

[sexobon]

INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS 'Profit'

Profit is the money a business makes after accounting for all the expenses. Regardless of whether the business is a couple of kids running a lemonade stand or a publicly traded multinational company, consistently earning profit is every company's goal.

The path toward profitability can be long. For example, online bookseller Amazon.com was founded in 1994 and did not produce its first annual profit until 2003. Many start ups and new businesses fail when the owners run out of capital to sustain the business.

Originally Posted by henry quirk

... The only purpose of a business (what 'it' does) is to make a profit for the owners of the business. ...

This is correct. Revenues realized in excess of expenses and sustaining a business's status quo are profit. The purpose of a business is profit. The goals of those who reap the profit may be reinvestment into the business to grow, diversify, conduct R&D to create new marketable goods and services; or, doing pro bono charitable work, wielding influence ... etc. Businesses, rather than personal fortunes, may be established to achieve those goals; but, goals can change - the purpose of a business does not.

Some businesses may take longer than others make a profit. Positioning a business for sustainability may take more time than simply meeting expenses. That does not; however, mean that the purpose of the business isn't profit, just that it hasn't fulfilled its purpose yet. Even a subsidiary business operating in the red as a tax deduction for the parent organization exists for the purpose of overall profit just as business charitable contributions sometimes do.

Counterpoints suggesting that revenues beyond expenses aren't profit when they're reinvested into a business would have to demonstrate that those revenues were limited to just sustainment requirements and not growth. Then it would mean only that the business isn't profitable now, that its purpose isn't yet fulfilled. NPOs are beyond the scope of the initial contention and rebuttal as are definitions of "profit" derived from jargon relative to specific disciplines.

LLAP

[tw]

Originally Posted by sexobon

The purpose of a business is profit.

So the purpose of non-profit businesses must be to subvert or harm an economy. Clearly Amazon is doing major damage to America.

Purposes of all businesses are similar. Each may be measured by different parameters. Only corrupt operations that exist only for profit (ie mafia) harm an economy and society. Selectively ignoring those other businesses is disingenuous. The purpose of all businesses is ....

[henry quirk]

Not seein' how havin' profit as the goal equates with damaging the economy.

Joe, for example, wants to make profit (money above and beyond what he invests in his business for development, production, marketing, etc.).

Joe decides he'll develop, produce, and market X.

If Joe is successful in offering sumthin' folks want (or, are convinced they want) then Joe stands to make a profit. But: if he offers sumthin' folks don't want then no profit for Joe.

Now, if folks want crap (or, can be convinced they want crap) then that's on them...after all: no one is obligated to buy jack from any one.

So: if the economy (nuthin' but transactions) tanks, blame the market (actual and potential customers), not the source of product and service.

Buyer (don't trust, don't settle): beware.

Again: the only purpose for business is to make a profit through the sale of products and services that folks want (or, have been convinced - by way of marketing - that they want).

[henry quirk]

Non-profits - again - by definition, fall outside of profit-making endeavors.

Nuthin' to be gained (by you) in muddyin' the waters of this discussion through equating 'for profit' with 'non-profit'.

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by tw

So the purpose of non-profit businesses must be to subvert or harm an economy. Clearly Amazon is doing major damage to America. ...

I don't see where anyone other than you is saying that, tw. Where you got that from I don't know; but, you've been known to put words into people's mouths just so you'll have something to dispute.

I've already posted that NPOs are outside the context of the original contention and rebuttal. You're terminology, "non-profit businesses," is a futile attempt to expand the context of initial statements beyond what was there; but, you've been known to do that just so you'll have something to dispute ...

Nonprofit organization

A nonprofit organization (NPO, also known as a non-business entity[1]) is an organization that uses its surplus revenues to further achieve its purpose or mission, rather than distributing its surplus income to the organization's directors (or equivalents) as profit or dividends.

... and you've been known manipulate definitions of words used by others just so you'll have something to dispute.

You're kinda like the Rush Limbaugh of the Cellar.

[henry quirk]

Bypassing the religious and dscrimination crap...

Unless a life is threatened (in a real, demonstrable, way) by way of denying service or products, the owner of a business should be free to turn away a customer for any damned reason that comes to mind (including, no reason at all).

If the market (actual and potential customers) find the owner's action distasteful then the owner is punished by way of a loss of profit.

Legal/government involvement is not required.