Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire by Rebecca Henderson Summary
Overview of Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire
Harvard economist Rebecca Henderson's award-winning manifesto challenges capitalism's broken foundation. Shortlisted for FT & McKinsey's 2020 Business Book Award, it reveals how purpose-driven companies outperform traditional models. Can businesses truly save our burning world while remaining profitable? Henderson's research proves it's possible.
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Key takeaways
Capitalism's Burning Platform: A World in Crisis
When Martin Shkreli hiked the price of an AIDS drug by 5,000% overnight, his defense was chillingly simple: "This is a capitalist society... my investors expect me to maximize profits." This wasn't an aberration but the logical conclusion of Milton Friedman's shareholder primacy doctrine that has dominated business thinking for decades. We've reached a critical inflection point where this narrow view of capitalism threatens not just society and the environment, but business itself. Every time we drive a car, fly on a plane, or even eat a cheeseburger (which generates emissions equivalent to burning half a gallon of gasoline), we're contributing to damage not reflected in prices. The true cost of coal-fired electricity isn't 5/kWh but closer to 13/kWh when we account for climate and health impacts. Companies like Peabody Energy aren't creating value-they're destroying five times more value than they create. How did we get here? And more importantly, how do we move forward?
The Five Pillars of a New Economic System
The Business Case for Doing Good
The Challenge of Architectural Innovation
Purpose as the Engine of Transformation
Cooperation and New Financial Systems
The Call to Action: Your Role in Transformation
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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