Man is a psychological/emotional combination of many elements defined and not yet defined. But common in us all is the logical desire to maximize what we get for what we give. What distinguishes us is our ability to acknowledge this, and the courage to act.

This drive to improve our lot, to get more for the effort we put into every endeavor, is responsible for every human advancement--as a species as well as in our individual lives. The invention and popularity of the personal computer and the printing press, modern transit systems, asking for a raise, starting our own business, obtaining a degree, these are all examples. But it doesn't stop there: the desire for an attractive or accomplished mate, improvements to our personal appearance, cosmetic surgery to stave off the indicia of age are all also a desire to get the best we can for ourselves. I have come to understand that this principle guides our conduct generally, and in every aspect of our lives if our thinking is clear.

And let me be clear. This rational egoism is responsible for how far we have come--and I mean that in terms of civilization as well as individually. I see it as an absolute positive and utterly necessary for a healthy ego. We must all improve our lot by whatever moral means we may. It is the only moral course of conduct for man qua man. It is our duty to ourselves.

The most lucrative marketing sector in the information marketing business is the entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs, or those who dream of owning their own business, or starting a side business, are willing to spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars on information courses or books and systems which teach various money making systems, business, ideas, etc. This entrepreneurial segment of the info marketing business comprises the most prolific re-purchasers and repeat customers in the industry. It is a better market to sell to than even weight-loss system purchases. Why? Because it serves the drive in each of us to improve our lot: to get more for what we give, in time, money, or energy expended.

The drive in each of us to be more, do better, or get more for what we give is tremendous. For each perpetrator of Tall Poppy Syndrome, you have a Poppy afraid to grow too tall, or afraid to even attempt to grow above average height. Be certain, the drive is there, even though it may be muddled with bad premises, and most often it sits dormant because the courage and force to act is not present.

This drive does not go away or abate to any degree once one attains what might be called "success" in business or in life. In fact, it is quite likely that those who attain success in their business do so because their drive to improve inspires tireless and impassioned effort on their part to succeed--and so they do.

This drive can become so all-consuming that it can cause rationalization of immoral and/or illegal conduct. All of human history--even recent history--is replete with examples of men who went too far: the famous Ford Pinto case, the Enron scandal, Richard Nifong and the wrongly accused lacrosse players, Haliburton's war profiteering, the list goes on and on.

We would improve our lot tremendously, individually and as a civilization, if on average, we developed a more keen awareness of and commitment to act upon the drive to improve ourselves, but in a moral and ethical manner. Bad conduct motivated by this drive certainly happens, and Objectivists would do well to criticize big business and individuals who are unethical, rather than ignoring their bad acts. Too many Objectivists take the default position that business=good and freedom=freedom to do anything to anyone as long as its 'good for you.' Of course, that is not the case. But it would be improper to treat the latter (bad acts) as an unavoidable consequence of the former (the drive to succeed). Stated another way: people sometimes do bad things. Capitalism is a good thing.

The temptation for the successful to act immorally is identical to that of the relatively unaccomplished--with the caveat that there is less incentive to behave immorally if you are accomplished, because you have lots to lose. The 'shortcut' to success you take may be the stroke which cuts your throat.