By one key economic measure, our economy is already experiencing Expo déjà vu.

As Spokane tech exec Steve Paul, who goes by the name Elf Bernie this time of year, prepares for his 24th year overseeing the Fantasy Flight trip with local poor children on an Alaska Airlines jetliner to the North Pole, he is looking back but also looking ahead.

“We are on the cusp of unprecedented change.”

We are taught to believe that business is an arena of cutthroat competition, driven by the relentless pursuit of profit and maximized return on investment. It’s my mission to challenge this notion.