[Mz]

Run faster, don't kick the other racer's ankles.

That sounds like a good rule of thumb for trying to apply to questions of business morality. "Are we trying to run faster than them? Or are we trying to kick them in the ankles?"

I mean, lots of people are young and just starting out and haven't had the time to think a lot of things through. Or they are busy developing expertise in things other than law and morality, but still need some kind of guiding principle. I think this is a good, simple rubric.

[venture_lol]

Both are perfectly fine, within limits, within laws, and certain moral guidance and generally accepted social principles.

An example:

In American football, it's perfectly fine to take down the other guys hard if you cannot catch up.

That said, rules such as "don't kick other racer's ankles" are generally for the overall good -- we don't want a wild west approach and end up with wounded and hurt players all over the place and hence, the game gets less fun. Notice: there is a balance here between absolute ruthlessness and let's have some rules so we don't all end up with no functioning legs.

However, at the goal line, if touchdown is about to take place, I can guarantee you a player will go for other guy's ankle hard even if it would mean suspension, penalty, etc. Why? Because in that moment, the primary overriding priority is to prevent the touch down. That said, it is possible to cross the line in "kicking the other guy's ankle".

[Mz]

Football and running a foot race are not the same thing.

Generally speaking, you should endeavor to create rules that you can agree with regardless of which side of the fence you happen to currently be on. If the roles were reversed and your reaction is now "Hey, wait a minute, that's not fair!" then you should reconsider your current position.