Many a work of fiction of the cyberpunk genre envisions a dystopian future where megacorporations run everything, and are stronger than governments, and might even be the government (if not de jure, at least de facto), with their own police and paramilitary forces, warring against each other, and oppressing the population. Almost invariably the main motivation of these megacorporations is the one that drives them in actual life: Power and profit. Money. Self-interest. A monopoly status. Absolute market share. Have all the population depending on the corporation, and spending all of their money on the products and services of the corporation. Control every single aspect of society and life, for absolute and ultimate profit.
In a way, the modern world seems to indeed be heading into this kind of future. However, not in the manner envisioned by these works of fiction.
Megacorporations are indeed becoming ever more tyrannical and authoritarian... but not for their own self-interest and monetary profit.
Instead, corporation after corporation is becoming a political propaganda and enforcement machine. Not for monetary profit, but for virtue-signaling and to feel good about themselves.
More and more corporations are engaging in active censorship of their customers. More and more are adopting strong "progressive" political stances that do not benefit the corporation, but on the contrary might actually go against their monetary self-interest, by driving customers away.
The internet is owned and run by corporations, and as more and more of them are becoming political propaganda machines opposed to free speech and the rights of their customers, more and more of the internet is becoming censored and limited. More and more corporations are starting to persecute, shun and discriminate against their own customers for political reasons. In fact, rather than becoming pseudo-governments warring against each other, corporations are actually working together and conspiring to discriminate against "undesirable" people.
We are quickly becoming a world where if you express the wrong political opinions, you may find yourself be denied of all essential services by corporations, even up to including banking services.
Corporations aren't becoming independent paramilitary pseudo-governments for their own benefit and profit. Instead, they are becoming totalitarian political propaganda machines even when it goes against their monetary interests.
In a way, the modern world seems to indeed be heading into this kind of future. However, not in the manner envisioned by these works of fiction.
Megacorporations are indeed becoming ever more tyrannical and authoritarian... but not for their own self-interest and monetary profit.
Instead, corporation after corporation is becoming a political propaganda and enforcement machine. Not for monetary profit, but for virtue-signaling and to feel good about themselves.
More and more corporations are engaging in active censorship of their customers. More and more are adopting strong "progressive" political stances that do not benefit the corporation, but on the contrary might actually go against their monetary self-interest, by driving customers away.
The internet is owned and run by corporations, and as more and more of them are becoming political propaganda machines opposed to free speech and the rights of their customers, more and more of the internet is becoming censored and limited. More and more corporations are starting to persecute, shun and discriminate against their own customers for political reasons. In fact, rather than becoming pseudo-governments warring against each other, corporations are actually working together and conspiring to discriminate against "undesirable" people.
We are quickly becoming a world where if you express the wrong political opinions, you may find yourself be denied of all essential services by corporations, even up to including banking services.
Corporations aren't becoming independent paramilitary pseudo-governments for their own benefit and profit. Instead, they are becoming totalitarian political propaganda machines even when it goes against their monetary interests.
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