[ergot_vacation]

Glad I'm not the only one thinking this. Seems obvious, but I always felt like I was missing something. How is it that most of the tech/SV world is just the same con being run over and over again, yet it keeps working? Does it operate on the same psychological glitch as a lottery? Do the giant corps buying these startups all think "I know how it's been in the past, but surely THIS startup WON'T turn to shit the moment I buy it because it was never a real business to begin with! This time for sure!"

Or are the real suckers the investors, and the corps are just doing these purchases in a performative capacity to keep razzle-dazzling them?

[fshbbdssbbgdd]

A lot of actual profits have been made by mature tech companies. Valuations seem too high right now, but I don’t think it’s a giant fraud. More like there’s nothing better to invest in.

[vmception]

The real answer is that you should be selling these works of fiction on the Nasdaq too.

[whall6]

Have you read through any of Facebook’s recent 10-Ks?

[echelon]

If they're that bad, what keeps the stock price propped up and the morale high?

[pseudalopex]

Some acquisitions are just to eliminate potential competitors.

[Ericson2314]

Yes, the model is entirely built on acquisitions, where discord itself can't be profitable, but part of Microsoft it can deliver value by deepening the mote around everything else.

Many things are only valuable as a public good or part of monopoly. Such is funny relationship between monopolization and socialism.