I actually think it was a fair point and an interesting one worth pressing on. It's an compelling question to me because it asks what it means to maximize prof

I actually think it was a fair point and an interesting one worth pressing on. It's an compelling question to me because it asks what it means to maximize profit, which is typically given as the foundation of business (I believe DHH actually uses this definition in your interview). Is profit strictly money? Can it also be measured in happiness or other metrics? Objectively speaking, if you were to take a purely capitalist perspective I would assume you would be interested in maximizing money, and thus DHH's perspective could be viewed as you put it, religious. Assuming that profit can include more than just accumulation of money but also intangible assets (prestige, recognition, etc) than perhaps it's not simply a decision of a man standing by his ideals, but actually of one making the most sensible choice to maximize his profit. btw, well done on the interview.