Catching up on some reading the other day I came across an article I’d flagged in October 2007’s The Atlantic on how to be a moral investor. I had some preconceived notions about conscientious investing, mostly along the lines of avoiding oil and weapons. Investments that avoid the social and environmental crises I learn about in school as much as possible. I must admit I was SO surprised (probably naively so) to realize that “moral investments” tend to be those that avoid contributions to the gaming, tobacco and alcohol industries. Clearly I should have known better and realized that morality lately is defined by the far right rather than the left. In my head, “morality” should go beyond our borders to include investments that affect humanity and environment on a world scale.

I’ve recently started learning about vulture capital, which seems to be a perfect example of immoral investment in my books.  I couldn’t believe that there was trade in Third World debt, that it is considered acceptable to loan shark on odious debt!  Interesting article in the Guardian  last October.