[bluGill]

You are the investor causing the pathological behavior. A very large part of wall street is investors like you that just have a little bit in their retirement accounts.

Do you vote the proxy for all the funds in your 401k? Do you understand how your vote affects the above - it all does.

[michel-slm]

there's a way to be an ethical investor - pick a 401(k) fund that invests in ethical businesses (according to whatever ethical standard you hold).

This might not be an option for everyone, of course.

[s73ver]

Wrong. I am not telling any company to treat their employees like crap to squeeze an extra penny of profit out of them.

[bluGill]

But you are because you own the fund that in turns owns the company.

It might not be your intent, and you might not have enough of a vote to stop it, but you are still doing it. (sort of like Americans opposed to the current foreign policy are still at fault for it)

[emodendroket]

How am I at fault for a foreign policy if I voted for its antithesis (or, perhaps more likely, nobody with that position stood for election)?

[s73ver]

No. I reject your idea in its entirety.