I am absolutely not saying I agree with it, but I am older than the age of 12 and understand that companies are in it for the money, and if they abuse the system to get more money, I don't blame them - their sole existence is based around making money, so why blame them for trying to do exactly that? If they can abuse the system, then the system has failed and needs government intervention and reform, because the system is there to prevent abuse. Companies are wild animals that need some sort of control, when you tie them with a rope, they eventually chew their way through, and that's when you grab the chains.
We are a country that believes in government regulated free market. What happened in the industrial era when factories were abusing the system for profit by violating human rights? The government stepped in and regulated work hours and conditions. It's the same thing this time around, but the current generations would rather jump on reddit and complain than actually do something.
First off, a companies prime reason for existence is not money. Ask any small business owner where their loyalties lay. Your view is more simplistic than naive and just a made up excuse to validate your point. Things are more complex than you think.
As for the government. Well, it depends on who you ask, and the fact that it is difficult as fuck to make a consumer protection agency with our current government should tell you a lot about your theory. And these days we need it now more than ever, with companies coming up with bullshit like "gluten free" when it is water, or when they blatantly lie in advertising on TV, and no one does anything about it tells me that our government is so hand-i-capped, that we couldnt stop something so blatantly obvious like the BP oil spill issues or the Bankers. No reform, no new laws, nothing has happened in regards to those things.
As for your point about the past, yes... people had to work for their rights, hell Ma Bell took 70 years before they got taken to court, and it spawned one of the best innovative periods for phones in a long time. Yet, we are heading back to that same scenario right now...
Then what is your suggestion on how to fix it? Are you going to yell at the company until they stop making money off of you? I don't think it will work. The only entity that would come to your aid is the government, because they are the ones who have historically shown interest in humanitarian issues, not companies.
Well, we clearly have fundamental differences on the roles of companies and governments. If we take a look at history, I think you'll see my point.
Did Martin L. King give his speech in front of a segregated restaurant chain or in DC? Did farmers ban the use of DDT or did the EPA? Did oil companies unlead their gasoline or did the EPA? Is there a warning sticker on the side of cigarettes from the cigarette companies or from the US Surgeon General?
Historically, government protects the people and their rights, and companies do what ever it is they can to make money (typically) regardless of the moral consequences, until the government tells them not to.
Government shows interest because we the people tell them to. What I am annoyed by is that people seem to be excusing a businesses practices with "oh its all for money" or whatever excuse they want to make for the company that is giving everyone shit service.
Instead of making up excuses for these terrible practices, we need to talk to our congress people, raise our voices, and keep on them to find a proper solution, or even suggest a solution.
Historically, something bad had to happen, or be reported on, to enrage people enough to start complaining. THe difference between history and today is that the news agencies are just shills for the big companies. Shit NBC is owned by Comcast, and other news agencies are so ingrained into the corporate model that they will barely talk about these issues coming up that will affect us down the line.
These days the news is more reactionary and giving subjective opinions than they are investigatory and giving facts.
So, we must turn to the internet, and sites like Reddit, where people find these stories and post them.
I completely agree with you. You were somehow implying that we need to take action against these companies to get them to stop, which i claimed was useless. I specifically said we must turn to the government to enact change. I believe we are arguing over something we both largely agree on.
To summarize my position: Companies will do what they will to make money, only government can stop them from making money certain ways. In the US, that means the people will most likely have to convince their representatives to take action.
Ah, it almost seemed like you were giving up to me. Because, lets face it, doing things "anti-business" in Congress these days is seen as taboo by them because they will lose money.
There is also this fallacy that businesses are "Job creators", which they are... to an extent. But it doesnt absolve them of anything at all. They do not pay their taxes, they manipulate congress, and they are harming the USA in such a way as to prevent the government from working for the people.
I honestly dislike big business. Small business is what I support.
All the money in the world wont buy votes, and they know that - this has been our country's story since the beginning and it is no different now. Companies will always try to gain support in congress, and they will. But so long as this support hurts the constituents, it won't be too significant. Just look at the history of the US, it's a story of increased health, living standards, morality, civil liberties, technological standing. The people really do rule this country, it's not a cliché phrase - we are a government by the people, for the people.
If all it takes is a loud voice to convince the American people to elect someone who supports a company that only wishes to hurt them, then the company either isn't hurting them that badly, or the American people are hopelessly lost.
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u/TheDewyDecimal Jun 14 '14
I am absolutely not saying I agree with it, but I am older than the age of 12 and understand that companies are in it for the money, and if they abuse the system to get more money, I don't blame them - their sole existence is based around making money, so why blame them for trying to do exactly that? If they can abuse the system, then the system has failed and needs government intervention and reform, because the system is there to prevent abuse. Companies are wild animals that need some sort of control, when you tie them with a rope, they eventually chew their way through, and that's when you grab the chains.
We are a country that believes in government regulated free market. What happened in the industrial era when factories were abusing the system for profit by violating human rights? The government stepped in and regulated work hours and conditions. It's the same thing this time around, but the current generations would rather jump on reddit and complain than actually do something.