A company's true function is to benefit society. Tesla has done that, so he gets a win from me. He's done it by taking chances and thinking outside the box. The tent is an example. Most companies would have given up but they did not.
20 years from now Tesla might not be alive but we will see its impact on the car industry. Very cool, Musk.
Could you elaborate on how did you come to said conclusion?
Sure there are ways to manipulate needs but at its basics companies are supposed to benefit society by filling those needs.
We are fed the idea that companies are created to profit the investors but profits are a side effect of meeting needs.
Profits are also a side effect of meeting needs today. It does not necessarily follow that meeting needs today benefits society in a meaningful way in the longer term.
For what it's worth, I think your implication is true. Clearly most companies create wealth and deliver benefit to society, it's that aggregate effect that makes capitalism the most successful system we know of under which to run a society.
But the reality is that it's entirely the other way around: companies do exist to profit their investors and it's the benefit to society that's the (usual, aggregate) side effect. It's not good, or bad, it's just a fact.
It's the other way around.