(Minghui.org) Many of today’s people believe in the Social Darwinian Theory of “survival of the fittest,” which especially applies to the business world. They view business dealings as battles. This theory creates the illusion that one cannot succeed without hurting others. The widespread belief in such an illusion has resulted in a competitive environment that is vicious and lacking in integrity. Is the Darwinian Theory real? Below are some real-life situations that suggest otherwise.
One stormy night many years ago, an elderly couple walked into a hotel lobby and asked for a room. The young clerk at the front desk told them, “I am very sorry, all the rooms are booked. If not for the bad weather, I would have sent you to another hotel, but how could I send a nice couple like you into the rain. Why don’t you stay in my room? It is not a luxury suite, but it is clean. Since I am on duty, I can rest in the office.” The grateful couple accepted his offer.
Several years later, the clerk received a letter from the old gentleman who invited him to New York for a visit. Upon his arrival, the clerk met the gentleman in front of a magnificent skyscraper. The old man said, “This is the hotel I built for you. I hope you can manage it.” This hotel turned out to be the world famous Waldorf Astoria. Opening in 1931, it became the favorite hotel of visiting foreign dignitaries. The old man was William Waldorf Astor. The clerk’s name was George Boldt, and he became the hotel’s first general manager.
It was no coincidence that Mr. Boldt got a great job offer that others could only dream about. What impressed Mr. Astor most was George Boldt’s kindness when he went out of his way to help his customers.
Mr. Li Hongzhi introduced Falun Dafa to the public in 1992. During his lectures, he clearly explained the relationship between wealth and virtue. Falun Gong tells people that actions conforming to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are always correct. Accumulating the white substance “De,” or virtue, through doing good deeds can bring people blessings, including financial good fortune. Genuine Dafa practitioners always try to follow these principles. But they have not been trampled on in the competitive business world. Many practitioners, in fact, have achieved remarkable success. Such examples are plentiful.
Being Kind to Others Results in Outstanding Job Performance
A mainland Chinese practitioner worked at a provincial foreign trade company. Compensation was directly linked to employees’ sales. After he began to practice Falun Dafa in October 1994, this practitioner saw his health dramatically improve and the level of his xinxing increase. He stopped competing with colleagues for money or reputation. Working with others on the same project, or when others came to the territory he developed, he always helped them with all due sincerity. He shared his knowledge and experience without reservation and moved on to explore new business opportunities. He was not like that before practicing Falun Gong.
Falun Dafa practice gave him both physical and mental health, and he suffered no financial losses. On the contrary, he made remarkable achievements at work. His performance surpassed his peers by a large margin, and he enjoyed a trusting, warm relationship with everyone.
In 1999, when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) banned Falun Gong, not a single person among his superiors or peers did him any harm. Police twice searched his office, but because his colleagues protected him, they found nothing. Later his colleagues told him, “Everyone defended you. We all said that you are a good person and a model worker in our company.”
Following Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in Business
Mr. Lin Chung-chi owns a plastic bag company in Taiwan’s Su-ao Town. After he began to practice Falun Dafa with his family in 1997, Mr. Lin found a new direction in life. Due to his positive influence, his parents, younger brother, two uncles, and an aunt also became practitioners.
Lin Chung-chi said, “The greatest benefit from Dafa is the change in my world view. I now feel very happy and relaxed. After becoming a practitioner, I follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in everything I do. I do not have a strong attachment to anything. The wisdom I gained allows me to see the cause and effect in every situation. This is also a great help in my business. Now I can put down the importance of making money and focus on providing the best service to my customers. My business actually improved a lot. When I treat my competitors with compassion and help them with my best efforts, I am no longer concerned about profit. My competitors feel my heart, and they try to help me whenever they can.”
Mr. Lin continued, “One day, a competitor and I were both delivering merchandise to a customer. The competitor was not familiar with the transaction process, so I helped him with the paperwork and even helped him move his goods. Afterwards, he told me that I was different from other business owners, and he could trust me. Nowadays, he often calls me to offer business tips, such as material pricing and sourcing information.”
Good Deeds Bring Rewards; Swedish Businessman Awarded the King’s Prize
On October 17, 2011, the Swedish Royal Palace Library hosted the “2011 King Carl XVI Gustaf Award” ceremony. The King awarded two prizes: “Business Pioneer Prize” and “New Business Owner Prize.”
The first award, “Business Pioneer Prize,” was given to a foreign-born Swedish citizen who has achieved outstanding business success.
The Greek-born Vasilios Zoupounidis began to practice Falun Gong in 1998. In 2004, he founded the Sales Competence Company, which sells telephones. It has become a business partner for small businesses in the telecom industry and provides a contact person who helps companies utilize its resources in the best way possible. By following Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in his business dealings and daily life, Vasilios achieved great success. He attributes his fortune to Falun Gong, because “good begets good.”
In the press interview following the award ceremony, Vasilios said, “I’m happy to receive this award from His Majesty. Here in Sweden, I, who practice Falun Gong, receive an award from the king for being a successful entrepreneur, and I am extolled as a role model. At the same time, many good people who practice Falun Gong in China are being slandered and persecuted. The lies behind the CCP’s propaganda are clear for all to see.”
In modern economic theories, how to deal with people in business is an important topic. Working together is an act of compassion; true competitiveness is a manifestation of self-improvement. But this competitiveness is totally different from the fighting that takes place among animals. Business competition allows people to maximize their strengths and best utilize limited resources. It is not a dog-eat-dog world where some survive and others die. Everyone should survive, and everyone should have a better life. Competition gives people a way to allocate work and cooperate. Business competition is not just about making money. It is more about winning over people’s hearts.