Reality versus Appearances

Something that I am personally interested in as a prospective investor are socially responsible funds, or "green" funds. I want to support new technologies, particularly clean fuel initiatives, as well as support companies that treat their workers well. It matters to me what my money does; the return isn't the only thing I care about. This article about green funds digs into what I think is a problem in U.S. society a lot these days -- what is real versus what just looks good.

"As these funds measure how good these companies are, they measure them in terms of whether they have procedures, departments and appointed executives who are responsible for ensuring good behavior," Donaldson says. "But the problem with that is that having all of the offices and departments doesn't ensure good behavior will come out of the process. It just means you have the process."

I think a lot of good ideas have fallen prey to this mentality -- for example, if there is EEO person in an interview, it stops prejudice in hiring. Does this work? Of course not. It doesn't really affect what the interviewers believe or whether or not they hire because of someone's skin color or gender. It just provides a "process" and keeps people from asking blatantly racist/sexist/anything else -ist questions. Take the women's movement: we show women as being powerful on television. But does this change real life? Unfortunately, it doesn't; it gives no answer to the problems that prevent women from being successful either at home or in the workplace. I don't want to get political about this but it looks like the green movement is heading the same way -- paying for "green credits" rather than riding a bike or buying a less polluting vehicle is just one example.

It's difficult to find what is true in life and even harder to fulfill the adage of "first, do no harm." I want truth, not just rhetoric -- and I don't think I'm alone.