If you ask the CEO of some major corporation what he does, he

Host: The room was calm, filled with the soft sounds of a world winding down. Jack sat at the desk, a few scattered papers in front of him, but his attention seemed to be elsewhere. He was caught in thought, a quiet reflection on a quote that had been turning over in his mind. Jeeny sat nearby, noticing his stillness, the way his eyes were fixed on something far beyond the immediate surroundings.

Jeeny: “You seem lost in thought. What’s on your mind, Jack?”

Jack: “I came across this quote by Noam Chomsky today. He said, ‘If you ask the CEO of some major corporation what he does, he will say, in all honesty, that he is slaving 20 hours a day to provide his customers with the best goods or services he can and creating the best possible working conditions for his employees.’ It made me think—why do we still see these kinds of leaders as the epitome of hard work and dedication?”

Jeeny: “It’s a striking quote, isn’t it? On the surface, it sounds like honesty—the CEO’s commitment to their customers and employees. But Chomsky’s also highlighting the way these corporate narratives are often shaped to make us believe that the system works for everyone, that those at the top are sacrificing for the greater good. But is it really true?”

Jack: “Exactly. We hear it all the time—the idea that CEOs are working hard, that their long hours are for the good of everyone. But isn’t there something strange about that narrative? If they’re truly working 20-hour days, where is all the benefit going? Is it really being equally shared, or is it just justifying the growing disparity between the top and the rest of us?”

Jeeny: “I think Chomsky is making a point about how corporate power often presents itself in a way that masks its true nature. The rhetoric of self-sacrifice and hard work serves to distract from the deeper inequities within the system. These leaders often claim to be working for the collective good, but in reality, the wealth and power they accumulate usually stay concentrated at the top. The image of the hardworking CEO is used to mask the fact that the system doesn’t benefit everyone equally.”

Jack: “It’s like they’re selling us an illusion, a story where hard work and success lead to a better world for all, but when you pull back the curtain, it’s not that simple. The reality is much more complicated—and often much more unbalanced.”

Jeeny: “Yes. And what’s even more troubling is how this narrative gets normalized. We start to believe that success at the top is the result of hard work and sacrifice, but what’s often left out of the story are the disparities in pay, the lack of resources for employees, and the ways companies sometimes exploit workers for profit. The narrative of ‘doing good for all’ is often just a cover for maximizing profits at the expense of others.”

Jack: “But if we’re sold on this idea that hard work at the top benefits everyone, it becomes much harder to question the system. It becomes this sacred justification for everything else, as though CEOs are heroic figures who are above reproach.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. And that’s how the system remains in place. The story is reinforced by the very people who benefit from it. They work long hours, they sacrifice, and they portray themselves as selfless leaders when, in reality, it’s just a way of maintaining control over the system and justifying inequality.”

Jack: “It’s almost like they’ve convinced us that inequity is a natural outcome of hard work, that it’s somehow inevitable. But in truth, it’s all a carefully crafted story to maintain power and profit, regardless of who is left behind.”

Jeeny: “And that’s where the danger lies. We start to accept that narrative as truth, as if it’s the only way the world can function. But if we really look at the broader picture, we see that this idea of working for the greater good often ignores the people who are sacrificed in the process.”

Jack: “So, what’s the answer? If we acknowledge the illusion for what it is, how do we start to change it? How do we break down the system that rewards only a few while exploiting so many others?”

Jeeny: “It starts with awareness—recognizing the narratives that have been sold to us and questioning them. From there, it’s about advocating for real change. This means rethinking how businesses operate, how we value workers, and how we measure success—not just by profits, but by the well-being of all people. We have to ask ourselves: What kind of world do we want to live in? One that supports the few, or one that supports everyone?”

Host: The conversation hung in the air, heavy with the realization that the narratives we’ve been sold are often far from the truth. Jack leaned back, his mind working through the implications of Chomsky’s words. The image of the hard-working CEO, a symbol of success and sacrifice, had been exposed as just another layer in the web of inequality and power. And with that realization came a deeper understanding of how things needed to change—starting with the stories we choose to tell ourselves about work, success, and fairness.

Jack: “It’s funny, isn’t it? How easily we can be convinced by a story that fits so perfectly with what we want to believe. But once you step back and really think about it, the cracks start to show.”

Jeeny: “It’s all about peeling back the layers. Once we see the truth, we can start to shift the narrative. And in doing so, we can start building a world that’s more equitable, more just, for everyone.”

Host: The world outside carried on, but the quiet in the room felt different now, filled with new questions and the weight of the truth. The narratives that shaped so much of what we believed about work, success, and power could no longer be accepted without scrutiny. The real challenge lay in rewriting those stories, in creating a new narrative that didn’t just serve the few, but worked for the good of all.