When does it end? How can it?

[dickiej]

Bezos is a despicable human being....when is enough $$$$ enough? Making 1.3 billion in two months while millions of people can't buy groceries? Really?

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by dickiej

Bezos is a despicable human being....when is enough $$$$ enough? Making 1.3 billion in two months while millions of people can't buy groceries? Really?

I don't admire many of the tech leaders as people, and I agree with your implication that too much flows to those at the top, but you seem to be villainizing him just for making a lot of money. Sorry, but we're all capitalists. Aren't we?

[jbolty]

none are so blind as those who will not see.

[dickiej]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

I don't admire many of the tech leaders as people, and I agree with your implication that too much flows to those at the top, but you seem to be villainizing him just for making a lot of money. Sorry, but we're all capitalists. Aren't we?

It's not just the obscene amount of money he makes....yes, I am a free marketeer and I believe people who work hard and are successful should reap the benefits of that hard work....it's HOW he makes his money....right now he is reaping the benefits off those severely affected from the corona virus...sort of like big pharma making billions literally off of sick people. He treats his employees horribly, particularly the low level warehouse workers.
And maybe the thing that gets me the most is that Amazon and Google are not going to rest until they know EVERYTHING about us: where we go, what we do, what we look at, what we say. Who knew you can't turn Alexa off....she is listening to our conversations 24/7. Who knew that they can watch us through our cameras, notice we have an older refrigerator and send us ads for new ones.
I just find him smarmy, too rich, and invading our privacy even more than we know.

[Not to Worry]

Probably still from the wild...or at least from the wild that China was researching but maybe the are more culpable than I first thought?

"WASHINGTON — A private analysis of cellphone location data purports to show that a high-security Wuhan laboratory studying coronaviruses shut down in October, three sources briefed on the matter told NBC News. U.S. spy agencies are reviewing the document, but intelligence analysts examined and couldn't confirm a similar theory previously, two senior officials say.

The report — obtained by the London-based NBC News Verification Unit — says there was no cellphone activity in a high-security portion of the Wuhan Institute of Virology from Oct. 7 through Oct. 24, 2019, and that there may have been a "hazardous event" sometime between Oct. 6 and Oct. 11.

It offers no direct evidence of a shutdown, or any proof for the theory that the virus emerged accidentally from the lab."

https://news.yahoo.com/report-says-c...001233644.html

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by dickiej

It's not just the obscene amount of money he makes....yes, I am a free marketeer and I believe people who work hard and are successful should reap the benefits of that hard work....it's HOW he makes his money....right now he is reaping the benefits off those severely affected from the corona virus...sort of like big pharma making billions literally off of sick people. He treats his employees horribly, particularly the low level warehouse workers.
And maybe the thing that gets me the most is that Amazon and Google are not going to rest until they know EVERYTHING about us: where we go, what we do, what we look at, what we say. Who knew you can't turn Alexa off....she is listening to our conversations 24/7. Who knew that they can watch us through our cameras, notice we have an older refrigerator and send us ads for new ones.
I just find him smarmy, too rich, and invading our privacy even more than we know.

The US government does the same.

[lakeporter65]

Originally Posted by Biggd

The US government does the same.

So Biggd, in your mind that makes it OK?

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by dickiej

It's not just the obscene amount of money he makes....yes, I am a free marketeer and I believe people who work hard and are successful should reap the benefits of that hard work....it's HOW he makes his money....right now he is reaping the benefits off those severely affected from the corona virus...sort of like big pharma making billions literally off of sick people. He treats his employees horribly, particularly the low level warehouse workers.
And maybe the thing that gets me the most is that Amazon and Google are not going to rest until they know EVERYTHING about us: where we go, what we do, what we look at, what we say. Who knew you can't turn Alexa off....she is listening to our conversations 24/7. Who knew that they can watch us through our cameras, notice we have an older refrigerator and send us ads for new ones.
I just find him smarmy, too rich, and invading our privacy even more than we know.

Bezos is extraordinarily rich primarily because he built something magnificent that we all enjoy. (I don't see anyone calling for a boycott of the evil Amazon.) As are Gates, Zuckerberg, Walton, and many pharma CEOs. The real anger against Bezos is that he owns a newspaper that's been very good at pointing out the President's shortcomings.

But I agree that the excesses these guys go to are often sociopathic. So I support the bipartisan effort to increase regulation on big tech, and I hope it will curb some of the stuff you listed.