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Amazon is a very problematic mega-corporation in many respects, not the least of which being worker exploitation. It really needs to be either broken up or soci

Amazon is a very problematic mega-corporation in many respects, not the least of which being worker exploitation. It really needs to be either broken up or socialized.

Loughla 7y ago
I honestly don't understand how Amazon could be socialized, or why it would need to be socialized. Breaking it up, sure. I believe Amazon has profited in the way many tech companies have - in that law makers don't understand the inter-connectedness of technology and how an advantage in one area will lead to an advantage in other areas. But socialization of Amazon? Why? We already have a publicly funded package delivery service. . . .
- lexs 7y ago
  Package delivery is actually a good comparison. Socialising amazon would simply add a warehousing portion to it.
  - einpoklum 7y ago
    Exactly. By the way - in some world states, mail delivery is being privatized, or becomes under-funded, starved - and then privatized. Overall, this process results in postal service quality deteriorating significantly, letters getting lost etc.
- lidHanteyk 7y ago
  Fair enough. Let's just turn Amazon off, then.
scarface74 7y ago
It amazes me how unself aware some HN users are when it comes to giving Government more power. I wonder do they know how much bad tech regulation has been both passed and stopped. The government would love to have more power over tech to both gather information on people and to control the narrative. Did anyone not see how Tim Cook was kissing up to the President and how much he enjoyed it? Do you really prefer to have a potential abusive government With the power of the state with more power.
- cmrdporcupine 7y ago
  Perhaps you should consider that the commenter is fully self aware, but just disagrees with you at an ideological level? Conversational tone on HN would be better if we didn't make assumptions or statements about people's self-awareness, intelligence, and just debated the substance of the issues.
- rootusrootus 7y ago
  > It amazes me how unself aware some HN users are when it comes to giving Government more power. Completely anecdotally, I can feel a pretty big shift taking place. At least that's what it feels like online, which may not be at all representative of the overall population. A new generation has come of age, and they are far more comfortable with concepts like socialism and even totalitarianism than the previous generations are. It was evident before COVID19, but since the pandemic began it has become even more pronounced. It's fascinating, really. Maybe scary. It's weird to get a little older (I'm Gen X) and feel like the culture of your society is shifting out from underneath you. No wonder old people seem to trend conservative. Edit: And the hive mind does not care to recognize it. Welcome to the new world, introspection not welcome.
  - cmrdporcupine 7y ago
    I wouldn't call your comment a call for introspection. It's a bit more of an ad hominem attack, really. I'm also Gen X. And thoroughly socialist. And also thoroughly anti-authoritarian. I don't fit the mould of your comment, but my opinions are a target of it, and so I take umbrage with its rather denigrating tone.
    - vorpalhex 7y ago
      If you feel attacked by that comment, it may say more about you than the comment itself. Socialism and authoritarianism are very linked. They're not the same, and you can have a socialist society that isn't authoritarian, but many socialist countries are centrally authoritarian and that's held true historically.

Amazon is a very problematic mega-corporation in many respects, not the least of which being worker exploitation. It really needs to be either broken up or socialized.

Loughla 7y ago

I honestly don't understand how Amazon could be socialized, or why it would need to be socialized. Breaking it up, sure. I believe Amazon has profited in the way many tech companies have - in that law makers don't understand the inter-connectedness of technology and how an advantage in one area will lead to an advantage in other areas. But socialization of Amazon? Why? We already have a publicly funded package delivery service. . . .

lexs 7y ago
Package delivery is actually a good comparison. Socialising amazon would simply add a warehousing portion to it.
- einpoklum 7y ago
  Exactly. By the way - in some world states, mail delivery is being privatized, or becomes under-funded, starved - and then privatized. Overall, this process results in postal service quality deteriorating significantly, letters getting lost etc.
lidHanteyk 7y ago
Fair enough. Let's just turn Amazon off, then.

scarface74 7y ago

It amazes me how unself aware some HN users are when it comes to giving Government more power. I wonder do they know how much bad tech regulation has been both passed and stopped. The government would love to have more power over tech to both gather information on people and to control the narrative. Did anyone not see how Tim Cook was kissing up to the President and how much he enjoyed it? Do you really prefer to have a potential abusive government With the power of the state with more power.

cmrdporcupine 7y ago
Perhaps you should consider that the commenter is fully self aware, but just disagrees with you at an ideological level? Conversational tone on HN would be better if we didn't make assumptions or statements about people's self-awareness, intelligence, and just debated the substance of the issues.
rootusrootus 7y ago
> It amazes me how unself aware some HN users are when it comes to giving Government more power. Completely anecdotally, I can feel a pretty big shift taking place. At least that's what it feels like online, which may not be at all representative of the overall population. A new generation has come of age, and they are far more comfortable with concepts like socialism and even totalitarianism than the previous generations are. It was evident before COVID19, but since the pandemic began it has become even more pronounced. It's fascinating, really. Maybe scary. It's weird to get a little older (I'm Gen X) and feel like the culture of your society is shifting out from underneath you. No wonder old people seem to trend conservative. Edit: And the hive mind does not care to recognize it. Welcome to the new world, introspection not welcome.
- cmrdporcupine 7y ago
  I wouldn't call your comment a call for introspection. It's a bit more of an ad hominem attack, really. I'm also Gen X. And thoroughly socialist. And also thoroughly anti-authoritarian. I don't fit the mould of your comment, but my opinions are a target of it, and so I take umbrage with its rather denigrating tone.
  - vorpalhex 7y ago
    If you feel attacked by that comment, it may say more about you than the comment itself. Socialism and authoritarianism are very linked. They're not the same, and you can have a socialist society that isn't authoritarian, but many socialist countries are centrally authoritarian and that's held true historically.