… is from page 79 of the manuscript of my GMU Econ and Mercatus Center colleague Virgil Storr’s, and his co-author Ginny Choi’s, forthcoming book, A Moral Case for Markets, which is under contract with Palgrave Macmillan:
The moral critics of markets are correct that we cannot engage in market activities and emerge unaffected by the experience. We are changed and, arguably quite profoundly, by our dealings in the market. But, contrary to what some may believe, we are changed for the better. We become better people as a result of our interactions in the market. The evidence suggests that we not only become wealthier but become less greedy, less selfish, less materialistic, more trustworthy, more tolerant, and better connected, as a result of our exposure to markets.