While otherwise being a good article, it goes too far into writing off the extralegal abilities that corpos do have and steps into the territory of ignorance. Corpos readily hire security guards who threaten the use of force against lawful activities. Corpos have hired mercenaries in foreign countries, and strike breakers to kill striking workers. While it's doubtful that all conspiracy theories are true, it equally doubtful that corpos have never killed a whistleblower. Corpos project force all the time - the state will only "vaporize them" when their deployment of force goes directly against the state.
When we open up the topic to the abuse of government process, especially in a democracy, the attack surface becomes much larger! Corpos bury individuals in legal process to coerce settlements all the time. Corpos readily buy legislation that is friendly to corpos, while generally reviled by grassroots individuals. Corpos adopt private regulations in lock step, making them have the de facto force of law. Corpos sponsor political campaigns against candidates who might pass laws that reign in their behavior.
As I said, the article is a good reminder that the whole world does not simply reduce to material interests. But regardless of the overriding power of government [0], in the "tech" field especially we are also up against corpos working overtime to usurp governmental power and become de facto government [1]. And it's utterly foolish to ignore that.
[0] for example the mentally ill US President causing untold destruction and economic damage, notwithstanding the few elites benefiting from being able to influence the sundowner.
[1] for example Amazon does appoint judges, directly contrary to a claim from the article. They're called "customer service" and now "AI". Amazon also excepts themselves from the de jure government's judges through the use of binding arbitration (enabled by legislation that is friendly to corpos and hated by most everyone else)
Is there any other sort of materialism?
While otherwise being a good article, it goes too far into writing off the extralegal abilities that corpos do have and steps into the territory of ignorance. Corpos readily hire security guards who threaten the use of force against lawful activities. Corpos have hired mercenaries in foreign countries, and strike breakers to kill striking workers. While it's doubtful that all conspiracy theories are true, it equally doubtful that corpos have never killed a whistleblower. Corpos project force all the time - the state will only "vaporize them" when their deployment of force goes directly against the state.
When we open up the topic to the abuse of government process, especially in a democracy, the attack surface becomes much larger! Corpos bury individuals in legal process to coerce settlements all the time. Corpos readily buy legislation that is friendly to corpos, while generally reviled by grassroots individuals. Corpos adopt private regulations in lock step, making them have the de facto force of law. Corpos sponsor political campaigns against candidates who might pass laws that reign in their behavior.
As I said, the article is a good reminder that the whole world does not simply reduce to material interests. But regardless of the overriding power of government [0], in the "tech" field especially we are also up against corpos working overtime to usurp governmental power and become de facto government [1]. And it's utterly foolish to ignore that.
[0] for example the mentally ill US President causing untold destruction and economic damage, notwithstanding the few elites benefiting from being able to influence the sundowner.
[1] for example Amazon does appoint judges, directly contrary to a claim from the article. They're called "customer service" and now "AI". Amazon also excepts themselves from the de jure government's judges through the use of binding arbitration (enabled by legislation that is friendly to corpos and hated by most everyone else)
Good points, especially if one is familiar with the actions if U.S. banana companies in Central America (mainly 19th, early 20th c.).