John Mackey's Conscious Capitalism: The Whole Foods CEO on health care, veganism, and free markets

NOTE: This is an abridged version of an hour-long conversation with Mackey. For that and downloadable versions, go to http://reason.tv/video/show/918

When he started his first organic food store in Austin, Texas in 1978, Whole Foods Market CEO and co-founder John Mackey had no idea that he would eventually usher in not just a revolution in how we shop but what we buy. If you dig being able to buy dozens of types of once-exotic apples, or cheese, or wine, or soaps, or countless other items, you can thank Mackey in part for helping to create cathedrals of commerce that have vastly enriched our day-to-day lives and vastly expanded our palates. (Full disclosure: Mackey has contributed to Reason Foundation, the nonprofit that publishes this website.)

In August, Mackey became one of the most controversial businessmen in America when he penned an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal outlining his company's free-market-oriented health care system and offering eight concrete reforms that would reduce costs and improve access. Noting that health care is not "a right" as that term is properly understood, Mackey forcefully argued that increasing government intervention into health care is precisely the wrong thing to do: "The last thing our country needs is a massive new health-care entitlement that will create hundreds of billions of dollars of new unfunded deficits and move us much closer to a government takeover of our health-care system. Instead, we should be trying to achieve reforms by moving in the opposite direction—toward less government control and more individual empowerment."

The response from the left to Mackey's op-ed was swift: Advocates of single-payer health care, union activists, and others called for protests at and boycotts of Whole Foods, despite the fact that the company provides affordable and well-regarded coverage to its employees.

As a cutting-edge entrepreneur who is comfortable quoting astrological signs and Ludwig von Mises, who practices veganism and sells some of the best meat in America, and who chases profits and is an outspoken advocate of charitable giving, Mackey confounds conventional political categories. As an advocate of what he calls "conscious capitalism," Mackey is that rarest of businessman: an articulate and passionate defender of free enterprise and free individuals.

In late September, Mackey sat down with Reason's Matt Welch and Nick Gillespie to talk about health care reform, corporate social responsibility (on which Mackey has written for Reason), why government interventions rarely achieve their goals, and how Mackey came to his unstinting belief in free markets.

Approximately five minutes. Shot by Dan Hayes and Meredith Bragg. Edited by Meredith Bragg.

This is an abridged version of an hour-long conversation with Mackey. For that and downloadable versions, go to http://reason.tv/video/show/918

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• John Mackey
• Whole Foods
• Health Care
• Politics
• Reason
• reason.tv
• health
• care
• reform
• veganism
• politics
• obama

[Betty5150]

Remember, Liberalism today, is what liberalism fought against then. Classical Liberalism, is the enemy of Modern Liberalism. There isn't that much difference between a classical Liberal, or a libertarian.

Modern liberals rely on the failures of corporatism. And believe that there alternative, is far better, but they don't realize, that while they try to fight corporatism, there alternative, is just the next step to corporatism. Which is, Fascism. Big government, is a failure.

[marco114]

I wish this guy would have pledged support for Ron Paul when he was running, it could have helped some!

[hellerase]

this guy is a joke

[summondadrummin]

People who believe in the Bottomline or the GNP as deeply meaningful ignore the fact that the tool through which we measure these numbers~Money~ is just a made up tool for tracking exchanges and is non physical. The solidity which we give to these numbers is the result of collective belief and the measuring system may not have anything to do with physical existence at all.

[MisssAnthrope49]

Never live any where close to this rip off & arrogant 'lifestyle' market. They are very bad neighbors and BULLIES!

[Safeco1999]

FMGT 8911 BABY!

[MrCpa36]

Hey there! Have you considered intellectus 424 diet (google it)? Ive heard some incredible things about it and my work buddy lost a ton of weight with it.

[rifat0didar]

from this video i am able to know some more important things about food thanks for sharing 

[AciddReign]

@Josh0473 we had a bean salad that was in the case for over week. when we put food in the case we do something called the sniff test if its almost getting there we stretch it out to one more day. but if u can really notice the smell we warm it up and put it in the hot bar. every whole foods is different tho. we have customers come in before registers are even open. i hate it bcuz im trying to set my bar up and these muthafuckers are asking me for tongs. i wanna be like bitch! Wait! but i cant

[Josh0473]

@AciddReign haha my mom would never believe me if i told her. She practically lives at whole foods and always gets pissed when someone tells her its all bullshit. But expired food?? i don't think i buy that.

[AciddReign]

@Josh0473 just pay really close attention next time you shop. I'm always honest when people ask me when something is made. other people exaggerate. they'll always say "oh it was made yesterday" while im in the corner laughing and say to myself" yeah right that shit was made 5 days ago". all we do is resauce and garnish everything with parsley to make everything look fresh.

[AciddReign]

@Josh0473 i dont know how other whole foods operate but this is how mine does. they store produce literally a couple of feet from our main dumpster. i dont know how they pass inspection. i hate how they contradict themselves bcuz i once gave my TL an idea to sell day old sandwiches and stuff but mark them down like other stores cuz we throw alot away, he tells me " we only sell the freshes quality product". but they reused out of code product on the salad and hot bar at regular price. retarded!