I was talking to my 10 year old nephew, wishing him a happy birthday. However, he was busy preparing for his exams. I asked him what he was studying, and he replied mathematics.  Curious, I inquired about the topic, and he replied ‘profit’.

“What is profit?” I asked. With the certainty of a textbook definition, he recited:

Profit = Selling Price – Cost Price

To test his logical thinking, I posed another question. What happens when the Cost Price is higher than the Selling Price? He thought hard and cleverly replied then it isn’t profit. It is Loss.

By age 10, we are taught that profit is good and loss is bad—profit is seen as a benefit, a goal, an achievement, something to be pursued at all costs. I asked my nephew the latest problem he was solving. He quickly explained that the vegetable seller bought the vegetables at Rs. 30 and sold at Rs. 50, therefore profit was Rs. 20.

But real-world profit isn’t as straightforward as school equations suggest. Let’s take a more nuanced example—one that factors in hidden costs.

Suppose, there is a baker who buys flour for Rs.100 a kg, sugar for Rs. 50 a kg, butter for Rs.75 a kg, vanilla extract for Rs. 1000 for 100ml, and baking soda for Rs.25 for 200 ml. Now, to bake a half Kg cake, the baker needs 500gm flour, 500gm sugar, 200g butter, few drops of vanilla extract and half tablespoon of baking soda (5gm). He is also using 1hr of electricity at Rs2 per minute to bake the cake. What should the selling price be for the half kg cake, so that the Profit is at Rs. 40.

The key to solving this problem is totalling the Cost Price. At face value, this is quite simple calculation. But if we encourage young minds to think critically, we can push them to ask deeper questions.

Profit Beyond Money: The Cost We Ignore

Even after we grow out of the textbook problems, we keep trying to maximise profit in real life. Be it while buying groceries or looking for discounts online. Be it negotiating salary or spending on a trip abroad. Be it renting a house or buying a car.

The pursuit of profit, however, often blinds us to its consequences. Profit (and money) is a convenient way to quantify material things. But we’ve expanded this logic to intangible things—people, relationships, emotions. We don’t just assess value in terms of currency; we assess people by their financial worth.

We seek utility in acquaintances, convenience in friendships, and benefits in relationships.

Consider the commodification of human connection. A mother tending to her child holds no economic value. Teaching, caregiving, and journalism—pillars of society—are undervalued, while profit-driven roles dominate prestige.

When money becomes the sole currency of life, profit kills humanity one connection at a time.

As we grow up, we are indoctrinated to the core concept of ‘what’s in it for me?’ —the driving force behind negotiations, corporate politics, and business strategies.

We are taught to prioritise our own gain. And the others? Well, they can apply the same formula for themselves. But who exactly are the others? Is it everyone else except you? Everyone except your family? Everyone except your countrymen? Everyone except your species?

This is the unfortunate side effect of a profit-first mindset in capitalism where single-minded obsession of Return on Investment(ROI) overshadows people, planet and purpose.

Profit thus becomes this flicker, a spark that seeks to ignite your mind—a burning desire whispering promises of comfort and success. But as it leaps from one to another, it grows, feeding on ambition, swelling into an inferno. It devours forests, blackens skies, and turns breath into ash. Fuelled by greed, it becomes a wildfire, merciless and insatiable, engulfing everything and everyone—until nothing remains but smouldering ruins and silence.

This unchecked pursuit of profit raises important ethical questions: How much profit is enough profit? What’s the best method to increase profit? Who should claim the profit? Should profit be prioritised over everything else?

Questions that have time and again been answered in ancient philosophies, yet ignored and discarded to appease the greed driven overlords of stock markets, banks, venture capitals and equity markets promising great ROIs.

Asteya and Profit: A Balanced Approach

Asteya is one of the Yamas (ethical restraints) in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and is part of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhist teachings. It teaches that one should not desire or take anything that one has not rightfully earned—be it material wealth, credit for someone else’s work, or even an unfair advantage in society. It extends to intangible aspects, such as:

• Not exploiting resources beyond what is needed.
• Not claiming credit for something you didn’t create.
• Not hoarding wealth at the cost of others’ well-being.
• Not manipulating relationships for selfish gain.

All of today’s problems– corporate greed, environmental degradation, and economic inequality all stem from the violation of Asteya.

If businesses and individuals practiced ethical profit-making, ensuring that they contribute value equal to (or greater than) what they extract, avoid profiting at someone else’s loss, ensure that their wealth creation benefits society (fair wages, sustainable resources) and Only take what is necessary, rather than hoarding wealth, food, or opportunities. There would be a more balanced, sustainable economy focused on conscious and ethical wealth creation.

Ubuntu and Profit: A Community Approach

Ubuntu, an African philosophy meaning “I am because we are,” emphasizes interconnectedness and shared humanity. Unlike Western capitalist models that prioritize individual accumulation, Ubuntu teaches that true success is measured by collective well-being.

In the context of profit, this philosophy challenges the idea of self-serving wealth and instead promotes equitable distribution, ethical business practices, and social responsibility.

A business guided by Ubuntu does not seek to maximize profit at the expense of workers, consumers, or the environment. Instead, it uplifts the community, ensuring fair wages, sustainable practices, and reinvestment in society. This philosophy aligns with modern corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethical capitalism, where success is not just about revenue but also about social impact.

If companies embraced Ubuntu, profit would become a byproduct of shared prosperity, not a tool for exploitation. It reminds us that wealth gained without enriching others is an illusion—because in the end, our well-being is tied to the well-being of those around us.

Finding a New Equation

While these old fundamentals are time tested, they don’t tend to appeal to the younger audience. They take years of practice and teaching. As a first small step– What if, instead of teaching children about profit, we taught them about value addition at a young age?

Profit is not just something to be grabbed. It is not a certainty in an equation or an entitlement in a startup. Profit should be a byproduct of value creation.

A baker does not simply mix flour, sugar, and butter—he applies skill, effort, and time to create something greater than the sum of its parts. This principle extends far beyond baking. Artisans, mechanics, doctors, traders, and business owners all add value to society.

A sculptor does not merely carve stone; he breathes life into it, shaping expressions that evoke emotions. A musician does not just play notes; she weaves harmonies that stir the soul. A doctor does not just prescribe medicine; he diagnoses, empathizes, and provides healing beyond physical ailments.

True value lies not in what is used, but in how it is transformed. The act of creation—whether in art, business, or service—demands more than just raw materials. It requires vision, skill, and dedication. And that is where real profit should come from—not just in numbers on a balance sheet but in the impact and enrichment of lives.

And with that comes not just monetary gain but the internal satisfaction of having created something meaningful. This is the essence of self-actualization—the highest point on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

But here’s what most people don’t account for—the impact of what we create.

• What is the waste generated in the process?
• Are we depleting natural resources?
• What would be the cost of replenishing the natural resources?

If we included these factors, perhaps we would arrive at a more realistic equation:

This isn’t a perfect formula as some elements remain intangible, difficult to measure. But it highlights the hidden costs and benefits, making it a more holistic approach. It shifts the focus from pure gain to sustainable contribution.

Maybe then, we could rediscover the purpose of profit in the evolution of humanity. Profit wouldn’t be a wildfire consuming everything in its path. Instead, it could be a carefully tended flame—one that warms, nurtures, and creates, without burning the world to the ground. The choice is ours to make.