[btrettel]

> You can’t blame individuals, nor the companies here. The system they operate in requires them to report quarterly; with a priority on short term performance over a longer term outlook (it exists, but not overtly so). When you don’t meet those short term goals, both individuals (employee reviews, getting laid off etc) and the company (value on the public or private market) suffers.

The question of responsibility differs from what one should expect. I think it's perfectly fine to blame the individuals and companies here. "I was just following incentives" is becoming the new Nuremberg defense.

Of course, to change what happens in reality most of the time, it's not enough to blame people; you need to change the incentives.

Related: http://www.talyarkoni.org/blog/2018/10/02/no-its-not-the-inc...