I've been doing some deep thinking lately about public goods and how they're perceived. There's something unsettling about the way people sometimes approach the idea of creating things for the public good.
You see, not all so-called "public goods" are truly beneficial to the public. A lot of folks out there seem to be just tossing together businesses, claiming they're for the greater good, but without much thought or design behind them. These businesses can't stand on their own two feet, can't make revenue. So, they rely on others to just hand them money. Why? Because they claim to be a public good.
But here's the kicker: no one finds them valuable enough to actually pay for them. That's where the irony stabs you. Something's off here. If it's genuinely valuable, if it really contributes to someone's well-being, then there's got to be a way to make it financially viable.
What it often boils down to is the need to explain and market that thing properly. People need to see the real value in it. If they understand what it's offering, they might just pay for it.
But all too often, what's happening is that products claiming to be for the public good are just not that valuable. It's like a wolf in sheep's clothing, promising one thing and delivering something else entirely.
So, what's the lesson I've taken away from all this? Don't build fake public goods. Don't be part of this trend to "public goods-wash" some poorly conceived business idea. It doesn't help anyone, and it certainly doesn't live up to the noble ideal of creating something that's genuinely beneficial to society.
At the end of the day, what matters is authenticity, genuine value, and a true commitment to enhancing people's lives. Anything less than that just doesn't cut it.