And when do people really love those purpose-driven companies? When they allow for something to happen that would have never been possible before. Take the lost and found postings on Craigslist. The
Associated Press tells the story of a 24-year-old woman who recently lost her new $300 iPod. Her boyfriend suggested that she check the lost-and-found section of Craigslist, and low and behold, after
posting a message, her iPod was returned to her less than 24 hours after losing it. In fact, Internet good Samaritans can be found daily on Web message boards; items more valuable than iPods, such as
engagement rings, wedding bands, bank cards, and even pets are returned to their rightful owners all the time. Maybe we aren't all as cynical and self-motivated as we sometimes perceive. Says one
University of San Diego ethics professor: "There are many people who live lives of quiet honesty." I've even been witness to it: one time I left my brand new cell phone (which was extremely high-end
at the time) on a commuter train to Connecticut. Two days later I had a guy in West Hartford call me up to tell me he'd found it. And I bet everyone reading this has their own Good Samaritan example
or can at least point to one from someone they know. As Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, says "The culture of trust is key," because it begets trust in others, and that can be a very powerful
concept -- especially if, like Craig, you can make money out of it!
Read the whole story at Associated Press »
