[dinkleberg]

Edit: I missed the society part from the original argument. The value doesn’t need to be to society but to some people somewhere in order to succeed.

Of course it is! Show me a successful business that doesn’t give genuine value to their target audience.

The target audience may not be who you think it is, but you had best believe that someone is getting value or else the business would fail.

[takinola]

You will most likely fail but there are examples of companies, like Groupon, that created negative value for their customers.

[hnhg]

Tobacco companies. Net value is higher risk of serious illness.

[nitwit005]

Fraud seem to be a pretty successful business model.

I suppose you have to at least temporarily appear to be providing value, before your casino leaves your customer bankrupt.