Any time there has been any hiccup in the economy for the last 10 years, IBM has used it as an excuse to cut headcount. And they've always done so unscrupulous

Any time there has been any hiccup in the economy for the last 10 years, IBM has used it as an excuse to cut headcount. And they've always done so unscrupulously, as evidenced by the number of age discrimination lawsuits they've had during these layoff periods. While you're correct that companies have to layoff when they're financially constrained, you've chosen the wrong company to try to defend with that line. And your last sentence is apropros of nothing. "If you were starving of thirst, of course you would drink that stagnant pond water" does not mean that we should all start drinking, or praising, stagnant pond water.