4 ms·

Very interesting comment. The statement was written with the lens of very different goals (corporations maximize profit within the context of selling goods and

Very interesting comment. The statement was written with the lens of very different goals (corporations maximize profit within the context of selling goods and services where governments - usually, serve the people sufficiently to maintain control & power over its people by being “great leaders”). Corporations usually sell goods and services, but do not have control over individuals most fundamental rights including those of freedom, health or even life - like governments often do. Corporations also rarely have militaries nor are the final backstop for when disagreements occur. Your example is interesting because it compares probably the most government like corporation to ever exist (the Dutch East India Company) and the most “nurfed” head of state by most metrics to ever exist (I.e. the least powerful relative to power of the nation - the American President, while being the head of the largest economically and most powerful country, role by role is quite restricted and limited in scope and control by design of the founding fathers).

asgard1024 6y ago
> Corporations usually sell goods and services, but do not have control over individuals most fundamental rights including those of freedom, health or even life - like governments often do. And yet in the U.S., your health care and pension is often tied to your employment at a corporation. For some people, for example those on work visa, having employment in a particular corporation is tied to living in the same country. Vice versa, a democratic government has less control over your life than you might think. And if we look at things like free speech - I can freely criticize the government but criticizing the corporation is often difficult.
- TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
  > I can freely criticize the government but criticizing the corporation is often difficult. What do you mean by this? Google is a smoking pile of dumpster fires filled with turds. Should I now expect Google agents to come to my house and disappear my family and I?
  - asgard1024 6y ago
    I come from a former communist country. Non-existence of free speech didn't always mean that somebody will disappear you. It might also have meant that you lose your cushy job and get a less cushy job. Which is not really all that different from what can happen if you openly criticize the CEO of your corporation, even internally.

asgard1024 6y ago

> Corporations usually sell goods and services, but do not have control over individuals most fundamental rights including those of freedom, health or even life - like governments often do. And yet in the U.S., your health care and pension is often tied to your employment at a corporation. For some people, for example those on work visa, having employment in a particular corporation is tied to living in the same country. Vice versa, a democratic government has less control over your life than you might think. And if we look at things like free speech - I can freely criticize the government but criticizing the corporation is often difficult.

TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
> I can freely criticize the government but criticizing the corporation is often difficult. What do you mean by this? Google is a smoking pile of dumpster fires filled with turds. Should I now expect Google agents to come to my house and disappear my family and I?
- asgard1024 6y ago
  I come from a former communist country. Non-existence of free speech didn't always mean that somebody will disappear you. It might also have meant that you lose your cushy job and get a less cushy job. Which is not really all that different from what can happen if you openly criticize the CEO of your corporation, even internally.