[ponker]

As a category, American companies are the most profitable in the world, so they’re doing something right.

[_carbyau_]

But is that something actually right? IE in the sense we would want more of it in our lives.

Or is the profitability less about agility as per the GP comment and more to do with employee manipulation(for lower wages) and political sway (for lower taxes).

Hell, given where FAANG pay taxes, are they even American?

[dternyak]

I'm pretty sure FAANG pays quite a lot in payroll tax, property tax, and they also ensure that FAANG employees pay quite substantial income tax, property tax, and sales tax.

[tuatoru]

FAANG are notable primarily for employing very few people relative to revenue.

This may change in the case of Amazon with its fulfilment centres, but see above comments re: Manna.

[kwk1]

Surely some portion of that can be attributed to agency ("doing") but I'd contend a non-trivial amount is due to being recipients of American hegemony ("being")

[gampleman]

I think the Tik-Tok saga has amply demonstrated just how unprepared Americans are to actually compete purely on merit.