Greed
While most people understand the definition of greed, few grasp its pervasive influence. Many believe humanity’s greatest threats are war, famine, and murder. However, these are often consequences of a deeper issue: greed. Sadly, the media, often entangled in its own pursuit of profit, rarely highlights this root cause. It’s unlikely they’ll critique a system that benefits them.Unlike other species that generally acquire only what’s necessary for survival, humans seem uniquely susceptible to insatiable acquisitiveness. This distinctive trait is often overlooked, perhaps due to its pervasiveness. Ironically, while greed may be a driving force behind many global crises, it is apathy—the indifference to this destructive force—that may ultimately seal humanity’s fate.
According to many studies, the human species is the highest intelligence on the planet. If this is so, why hasn’t the human species learned to control its flaws so that it can live in harmony with other species. The simplest answer – he didn’t want to, and now he doesn’t even realize that he has to. The human species is now only thinking about how to survive until next month, and does not care at all what will happen in 20 50 or 100 years. So why should they care, when it is clear that they will not be alive until then. From here derives another basic and pervasive quality for a person – Egoism.
The nature of the human mind is the subject of much research, but no one seems to be working to answer a very simple challenge. For example, why does the slave no longer seek to be free, but wants to be the master himself. Nobody wants to be normal anymore. Everyone strives to be a master and to have slaves under his command. It seems the history of the Roman Empire is about to repeat itself. And everyone knows how that ended.Even worse, no one wants to stop it.
Why does the human species strive to possess much more than it needs? The simplest but incomplete answer is the desire for dominance. While in India people are divided into castes, this notion seems to have been degraded over the years. The levels of human development are no longer measured by intellect, knowledge, enlightenment, but by quantitative gains. How many houses, cars and phones will there be? But this is the desire of the common people, while the desire of the current world elite is no longer measured in this, but in how many people it will be able to dominate.
This human degradation is quite evident in IT as well. Years ago, the richest people were the oil producers, a resource that nature created millions of years ago and gave it to humanity. These sources were occupied by certain people and companies, and they started selling it to us. Can you imagine what audacity?! They have no credit for it, but they behave like owners of a natural resource. But in the 21st century, things have changed. The biggest rich are now the owners of IT companies. of course stock market speculators quickly lined up behind them.
While in the 1980s Internet technologies promised something good to happen, and it changed people’s lives and quality of life, at the beginning of the 21st century, things obviously started to degrade. Then there were thousands of companies that produced a product, looking for people’s interest, and now the interest is simply imposed and suggested. IT firms realized that people were fed up with all this false offering and decided to make people dependent on IT. This process is most visible now, with the introduction of AI.
AI was initially presented as a tool to simplify various job functions. However, it is apparent that it seeks to substitute human workers solely for the sake of profit. This is achieved through an extensive propaganda campaign that aims to deceive and manipulate individuals. The reason behind this is quite apparent when looking at the stock market; it is evident that the majority of IT giants’ shares have been decreasing over the past two years. Previously, these companies absorbed smaller businesses to maintain a fresh supply of resources. However, they have now grown so extensively that they are impossible to replicate. Any claims of competition are merely a propaganda ruse.
But let’s look at the facts:
Let’s begin with this – what do all these companies share? They are all owned by Vanguard Group and BlackRock. These two companies produce minimal goods for the people and are renowned in the speculative market. The time is approaching when they will possess everything, marking the commencement of a global era of slavery.
Amazon, originally a book delivery company, has expanded into the IT industry. However, despite expectations for new jobs with good working conditions, the company’s growth has been accompanied by significant exploitation of its employees due to greed. Jeff Bezos, the company’s CEO, has crossed ethical boundaries, leading to employees being forced to urinate in bottles as they are not permitted to use the bathroom.
This treatment of workers can be likened to slavery. Although Amazon’s aggressive policies and increased use of robotics may restore the company to previous levels of success, this will come at the expense of its employees, suggesting a lack of concern for people.In fact, Bezos paid more for his divorce than he ever paid his workers.
IBM, once a titan of innovation despite its controversial history with Nazi Germany, enjoyed a reputation for reliability and excellence. However, its decline, arguably initiated by Ginni Rometty’s era of restructuring (detailed in [Cringely’s analysis](https://www.cringely.com/2016/03/22/ginni-the-eagle-ibms-corporate-transformation/)), was marked by what some perceive as avarice and mismanagement. While acquisitions once fueled IBM’s growth, they ultimately proved insufficient to maintain its dominance.
The divestiture of GTS, now known as Kyndryl, exemplifies this, leaving the spun-off entity struggling to find its footing. The strategy of absorbing competitors, so effective in the early 2000s, appears to have lost its efficacy. Today, many within IBM criticize the company for its bureaucratic structure, perceived mismanagement, and an environment they consider stifling. While these issues are not unique to IBM, they contribute to a perception of the company as a shadow of its former self.
Microsoft: A Legacy of Resilience and Controversy. Bill Gates built Microsoft into a technology behemoth, demonstrating a remarkable ability to adapt and persevere. However, this success hasn’t been without criticism. While Microsoft has developed undeniably impactful software, its history is also marked by products perceived as bloated or flawed, prioritizing sales volume over user experience.
The company has been accused of employing aggressive tactics, sometimes bordering on coercion, to ensure market dominance, as evidenced by past controversies surrounding software bundling and licensing practices (as highlighted in reports like the one from NDTV). When faced with technical setbacks, Microsoft’s strategy often involves introducing new offerings, sometimes perceived as iterative rather than innovative. While factors like the current interest in AI and ChatGPT undoubtedly contribute to Microsoft’s recent financial gains, its enduring profitability also stems from its entrenched market position.
Even during periods of challenge, such as the reported difficulties in November 2021, the company has demonstrated a willingness to implement more assertive strategies, including pushing for exclusive use of its products within organizations. Despite its financial success, reports suggest persistent employee dissatisfaction, raising questions about the company’s internal culture and the human cost of its relentless pursuit of growth.
Facebook‘s financial success is remarkable, considering the platform’s lack of tangible usefulness for people. It transports users from the real world into a virtual one, and it’s concerning how easily people’s value systems can be manipulated. Humanity seems to have degraded in its preference for this small, smoky window over the beauty of nature and the surrounding world.
The platform’s success is likely due to human exhibitionism and its appeal to a wider audience. A discussion of Facebook could easily span a whole separate topic, as it is quite extensive. However, unwanted side effects have arisen. The platform has proven useful for organizing real events, which has garnered negative attention from those in power. Additionally, people have used the platform to share inconvenient truths that are not well-received by politicians and world governments.
Consequently, censorship has become a reality on the platform; users can no longer express their true thoughts freely. Robots monitor keywords in our so-called democratic and normal world, which is quite alarming. In my personal opinion, Facebook will eventually lead to its own demise, but this is not a concern given its lack of production.Globally, trust in the media is decreasing, as well as in similar platforms where censorship is imposed. That’s why I wonder how similar companies like Facebook manage to keep their income.The greed now it have own Face.
Alphabet Inc, the parent company of Google, was originally designed to be a useful platform for users. However, it has transformed into a problematic entity. Google replaced the once-popular Altavista search engine and was initially a highly effective tool for internet browsing. However, as is common with many tech companies, greed has contributed to Google’s decline.
While the company relies heavily on advertising revenue, it has recognized that this is not enough to sustain it. Consequently, Google has acquired smaller companies to eliminate competition. Google’s behavior is not unique in the tech industry, but what makes it problematic is that it relies on the labor of contributors who receive no compensation for their efforts. Examples of this are Maps, Wiki, YouTube, and Waze. These companies allow Google to monetize the work of others while contributing nothing in return. Google has been sued multiple times for engaging in unethical business practices and manipulating search engine results. The root cause of these issues is greed.
This is not an exhaustive compilation of companies that prioritize profit over people. We will periodically supplement this roster with additional firms. Please revisit this page often. I wish to emphasize that this business strategy is unsustainable. In a world with limited resources, the unrestrained growth of these corporations will ultimately result in a collapse. Unfortunately, everyday citizens will bear the brunt of the repercussions. It is imperative that we manage our avarice if we seek to maximize our survival.
will be updated regularly…
