Philosopher President - Davos, Khatami and Clinton

[TacticalPeek]

Philosopher President

Mohammed Khatami left much unsaid when he spoke to delegates in Davos.
But that didn't mean that they failed to get the message

WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Arlene Getz
Newsweek
Updated: 03:14 PM PT  Jan. 21, 2004

Jan. 21 - His speech was couched in erudite philosophical terms. But
when Mohammed Khatami delivered his keynote address to the
political and business elites gathered in Davos on Wednesday, there
was no mistaking the Iranian president's political subtext.
"Democratic norms are not identical packaged goods ready for
export," Khatami said at the formal opening session of the World
Economic Forum's annual meeting here. "True partnership calls for
genuine dialogue."

snip

Meanwhile, despite the interest in Iraq and Iran, the biggest
crowd-puller of the opening day was neither Khatami nor Straw.
That distinction went to Bill Clinton, a Davos regular whose
lunchtime address was so oversubscribed it spilled out into hallways
and overflow rooms. The former U.S. president delivered an
impassioned plea to business leaders "to make a bigger difference in
the things that we care about."  That involved creating integrated
systems and infrastructures around the world. "You change the
reality of human history by systematic action," he said. "Our job is
to move the world from interdependence to integration." Clinton may
not have waxed quite as philosophical as Khatami, but his audience
loved it anyway.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/Default.aspx?id=4020745&p1=0

[cprise]

1. Corporate Creepiness from Clinton

The former U.S. president delivered an impassioned plea to business leaders "to make a bigger difference in the things that we care about."  That involved creating integrated systems and infrastructures around the world. "You change the reality of human history by systematic action," he said. "Our job is to move the world from interdependence to integration."


Quoted like this, it is chilling. The integration of global corporations-turned-activists, doing what they think is best for us? :puke:

[leftchick]

2. is Bill sticking around for cheney's speech....

on Saturday? Hmmmmmm....

[papau]

3. If followed, Clinton's plea is the fastest way to a better world

Corporations can adopt and use ethics rules that do not put the bottom line ahead of doing good for the world - they'd of course stay profit making - but knee jerk rejection of something because it has a cost and might do good is silly. And I read the speech to be a simple call for doing "good" in an organized "corporate" way.

The environmental controls econ studies have shown that a good guy cost like econ controls actually can increase profits, compared to the results obtained by acting like a jerk.