Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Monopolies, Titans, and Dark Days

Google and Facebook are becoming monsters of restriction. 
Amazon is finding ways to pressure Hachett into better e-book deals.
If I were to give you every article I've read on these issues in the past week, I'd be copying and pasting for hours.

The undercurrents many of the arguments against Facebook, Google, and Amazon have are corruption and monopolization.  I find it the most interesting aspect.  Are these companies going to control everything?  Do they already have too much power?  Is there a reason to be paranoid?

Any entity, whether it be a private individual or a huge corporation, can let power intoxicate them.  And, most businesses, will do anything to increase profit or reach.  It sounds frightening, really, if you consider it.

But...

I can remember a time when people said Yahoo was going to gobble up everything.
I giggle, now, when I recall teenagers speaking of Myspace as the be-all end-all.
Wasn't iTunes going to "ruin" the music industry?
Microsoft, while still a giant, doesn't inspire the same amount of paranoia it used to.

Be vigilant, yes, but also know that innovation is one of the best weapons we have against our fears of titans.  The control of things ebb and flow by ideas and consumer demand.  Our best future, as always, involves our willingness to risk and our need to create.
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Have you been reading up on the Hachette/Amazon debate?  What are your thoughts?






2 comments:

  1. I haven't been reading about this particular debate, but I do think control and monopolization is the goal for the monster companies. I think that's where the future is heading along with more government control.. It all goes hand in hand in my opinion.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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    Replies
    1. It could be.
      I suppose I just like thinking the future will be brigher with the expansion of good ideas. It could go dark, too but things tend to right themselves after awhile... so far.

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