[MD] Where have all the values gone?

[Arlo J. Bensinger]

[DM had said]
We can invest in assets, assets are quality things we have made. What  have
quality things got to do with profit?

[Platt responded]
Profit makes possible quality things. Pirsig's books would not have been
possible without profit.

[Arlo interjects]
How, then, on earth did all those books from Hammurabi on up ever get written?
Was profit responsible for Socrates writings? What about Confuscious?

What do you say to this, if we consider "profit" to be divisible into "material"
and "symbolic". That is, some forms of profit are "material", they involve the
physical acquisition of stuff (such as money, homes, cars, boats, etc.). Other
forms of profit are "symbolic", they involve such intangibles as respect,
social praise, esteem, historical recognition and cultural-social admiration.

In your statement above, do you feel material profit is required, or would
symbolic profit potentially "make possible Pirsig's books"? Is material profit
more powerful than symbolic?

Now let's consider a possible third form of "profit", and call that "personal".
This form of profit would consist of internal satisfaction, fulfillment and
self-worth.

Does that form of profit underscore any work activity? Does that "make possible
Pirsig's books" (potentially)? Or are you suggesting that only (or primarily)
material or physical profit (renumeration, money, things) are responsible for
Quality things when you say "Profit makes possible quality things".

Arlo