Gregory's Server
@bretcarmichael @stroughtonsmith I strongly concur, but I think in Apple's case, and in this century's rise of computer tech companies to the top of our economy, it's not about "pleasing shareholders” in the 1980s/90s sense. That's passé. The evolved thinking -- which is still decidedly capitalistic -- is simply to act in the company's own interests for the sake of what's best for the company's products and services, with shareholder benefit falling naturally out of that.
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@Gte @gruber @stroughtonsmith There’s a misalignment between business and societal incentives. There has been forever, climate and healthcare being a couple of examples. Politicians have capitulated to business interests in exchange for career benefit at a cost to society. Here, it’s reversed. Businesses are capitulating to politicians (Trump), and the tradeoff is the same: cost to society. Companies may be thinking, “It’s only 4 years.” If not, it’s a collective action problem for them. @bretcarmichael @gruber @stroughtonsmith Agreed. And it’s not like companies don’t have government affairs to try to smooth their relationships with elected leaders.The difference here is that this is clearly the kind of thing Apple employee training videos tell you is corruption. As a company that has, as John points out, tried to look to the longer term, and plan and act accordingly, this is shortsighted. “Well, I guess a little corruption to get in the door is ok” is where things go south. |
@gruber @bretcarmichael @stroughtonsmith What if what’s best for the company’s products and services leaves the rest of us in dire straights? This “evolved” thinking applies across the industry now and we see the culture that results—demeaning oneself in deference to the authoritarian figure. It is in ways as short sighted as ignoring climate damaging aspects of their products. A healthy global free market and interdependence is a prerequisite for their success. Authoritarians undermine that.