[geeks] Flicker users u in arms over MS acquisition...

[Mike Meredith]

On Mon, 4 Feb 2008 19:28:50 +0000, Mark wrote:
> On 4 Feb 2008, at 18:59, Mike Meredith wrote:
> > How does that make their behaviour less evil ?
> 
> I guess it doesn't make it good, or even acceptable, it was merely
> an observation that it's only natural behaviour based on instinct.

I'm not sure you can say a corporation has instinct or natural
behaviour. Their executive officers do (and of course the drones in
management), but they _should_ also have an instinct towards social
behaviour and an upbringing that teaches the merits of responsible
behaviour. The apparent lack of anything tempering the competitiveness
present in some executive officers is what leads people to believe that
they exhibit symptoms of psychotic behaviour.

> don't class that as 'pure evil', I reserve that for much more
> heinous crimes. It is, however, a bad way to be, and I hate every

I used to live in South Wales in the aftermath of Thatcher demolishing
the coal miners union and closing the pits. It is arguable that closing
the mines was necessary (although I believe it was done in a
particularly malicious way and it is interesting to note that one mine
that was earmarked for closure was taken over by the miners and closed
just last week), but the results _looked_ pure evil.

> top. Don't tell me 

I've always thought that phrase was broken ... I can tell you any
rubbish I want :)

> > If the economic system encourages or rewards psychotic behaviour  
> > shouldn't the economic system be changed ?
> 
> Yes, and thus you have the root cause of why the Capitalist economy
> is such a dire mess. Companies seem to have forgone 'healthy
> competition' in favor of Microsoft-style anti-competitive bait and
> switch and swamping maneuvers. At least that's how it looks to me.

I'm no apologist for the capitalist system (my sigmonster has given a
little hint of the colour of the flag I march under ... sort of), but
it isn't just capitalism at fault here. _we_ allow apparent psychotics
almost free reign at the helms of some very powerful organisations.
Many times we have decided that the excesses of certain aspects of
capitalism were too much and should not be permitted ... slavery, child
labour, etc. Perhaps we should draw another line in the sand.

I must admit that I don't understand what the benefit of allowing
companies to 'take over' other companies is supposed to be. I'm sure
that for every example where a take-over has been beneficial, there are
dozens where the opposite was the case. Why not simply block *all*
takeovers ?

And bring in compulsory psychological testing for everyone
controlling a budget very much larger than average income. There's very
obviously something _seriously_ wrong with at least some company
executives (don't you think at least *someone* in power at the tobacco
companies should have spoken up?).


-- 
Mike Meredith (http://zonky.org/)
 The man
 Of virtuous soul commands not, nor obeys:
 Power, like a desolating pestilence,
 Pollutes whate'er it touches, and obedience,
 Bane of all genius, virtue, freedom, truth,
 Makes slaves of men, and, of the human frame,
 A mechanised automaton.
  -- Percy Shelley