4 ms·

What's to be done about it? We're the ants. That depressing truth has a way of manifesting. I'm not quite sure what to feel about it. Our attempts here are fu

What's to be done about it? We're the ants. That depressing truth has a way of manifesting. I'm not quite sure what to feel about it. Our attempts here are futile. We're not going to get any legislation passed. The fact is, companies can opt out of the social contract. They are big, and they're going to play by different rules. But I don't think that's strange -- that's just life. It happens in China and Russia. Why should the US, Canada, or Europe be any different?

q-base 9y ago
2 wrongs don't make a right. I can't tell you exactly how to solve it. Perhaps a close look at Japans "Tax Haven Counter Measure Law" could be a part of the solution: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/dennis-howlett/japan-shows-how-to-stop-c_b_3600487.html http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/dennis-howlett/japan-shows-how-... But playing by different rules once you are big enough sure as hell ain't right.
dgsb 9y ago
You can still live with choosing to not buy any iphone or mac book stuff.
- dontreact 9y ago
  I think you can't get a Mac, iPhone, or an Android phone as Google has similar tax avoidance schemes. (Although maybe this one isn't viable anymore?) http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/04/28/business/Double-Irish-With-A-Dutch-Sandwich.html http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/04/28/business/Doubl... Unfortunately, that's not really a tenable position for many users here.
  - dgsb 9y ago
    Postponing for one year a material replacement does not seem that extreme, and it has impact on a company revenue.
dontreact 9y ago
The only realistic thing I see is if enough employees at a company start an effort then maybe one of the large tech companies can be a leading light in exposing tax loopholes and try to inflict PR damage on other companies that use them. We are not ants, the users of this board are often really important parts of the largest companies that exist today.
zentiggr 9y ago
Well, occasionally a bunch of us decide to be fire ants instead, and bite back. Messy but seems to be inevitable given that "profit motive" has no shame to be called upon.
eecc 9y ago
Unionize? There used to be this thing in the '70s called "Solidarity Strike".

q-base 9y ago

2 wrongs don't make a right. I can't tell you exactly how to solve it. Perhaps a close look at Japans "Tax Haven Counter Measure Law" could be a part of the solution: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/dennis-howlett/japan-shows-how-to-stop-c_b_3600487.html http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/dennis-howlett/japan-shows-how-... But playing by different rules once you are big enough sure as hell ain't right.

dgsb 9y ago

You can still live with choosing to not buy any iphone or mac book stuff.

dontreact 9y ago
I think you can't get a Mac, iPhone, or an Android phone as Google has similar tax avoidance schemes. (Although maybe this one isn't viable anymore?) http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/04/28/business/Double-Irish-With-A-Dutch-Sandwich.html http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/04/28/business/Doubl... Unfortunately, that's not really a tenable position for many users here.
- dgsb 9y ago
  Postponing for one year a material replacement does not seem that extreme, and it has impact on a company revenue.

dontreact 9y ago

The only realistic thing I see is if enough employees at a company start an effort then maybe one of the large tech companies can be a leading light in exposing tax loopholes and try to inflict PR damage on other companies that use them. We are not ants, the users of this board are often really important parts of the largest companies that exist today.

zentiggr 9y ago

Well, occasionally a bunch of us decide to be fire ants instead, and bite back. Messy but seems to be inevitable given that "profit motive" has no shame to be called upon.

eecc 9y ago

Unionize? There used to be this thing in the '70s called "Solidarity Strike".