Underlying the suspicion of the market place is the view that only those human relations are worthwhile that have as their motivation to benefit others. If I merely benefit others inadvertently, indirectly, that is not good enough. There may be something to this when it comes to close relationships, friendship, familial bonds and so forth. I am supposed to want to help my friends, not just accidentally benefit them. Some people, however, have argued throughout human intellectual history that we owe it to everyone to help them.
Occasional generosity is insufficient.
But that is wrong. No one is responsible to help everyone, especially total strangers, except perhaps in clear cut emergencies. Even then one can have projects of one s own that trump such a duty of emergency. The idea that the human race is some kind of extended family and we must suffer when anyone suffers and help when anyone is in need implies that our energies may be sapped endlessly and that our own lives aren t as worthy as are those of others. Fortunately, the old invisible hand of Adam Smith, the free market place, makes much of this consternation about helping people moot.