[sdellis]

Sure, monopolies are great for the C-suite, but they turn out to be really bad for the end users and customers, the real losers when there is no competition.

Get in loser, we're going for a monopoly! It's all fun and games until you're locked in and enshitification sets in. I would sooner go without than get fooled again.

[groundzeros2015]

Please read the article before responding.

[sdellis]

Please say something intelligent about a link when you drop it. No one can tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

I did watch the video of him and I can confirm (so no one else wastes their time) he does not address why monopolies are great for everyone other than the CEO. But he does go into depth about why women should not wear Hillary Clinton style pantsuits when pitching ideas to him. Noted.

I am not sure if the video is the same as the article, but there is no way I am going to pay a penny to hear what Theil has to say. Honestly, after I heard him rambling about the anti-christ crap he spews I would pay for him to stop talking.

[groundzeros2015]

If you don’t have a response to an article or don’t like the author, just move on.

The rude thing would be to respond based on the title, when the article is actually about something else.

[sdellis]

So what did you think the article is about? The polite thing would be to discuss it. That's what HN is here for!

[groundzeros2015]

I guess I’ll assume you’re asking in good faith.

The article is not about how monopolies are good for society.

It’s about how businesses over emphasize small differences which make them indistinguishable from their competition.

It’s better to be in your own category rather than a slightly different permutation.

Capturing the value you produce from a business is actually very difficult. Think about how many Facebook users are a net less for the business. Good business plans also plan for capturing value.

[sdellis]

We don't need an article to tell us that monopolies are not good for society. The fact that the article ignores this elephant in the room is exactly why I have issue with it.

I agree that the best way to capture value is to destroy all competition or otherwise ensure that the customer has no other options. It is also deeply unethical, even if within the current law. I'll note that anti-trust laws have been eroded in the past two decades as the gov has caved to corporate pressure and lobbyists.

I also can't pretend I don't see a relationship here to Theil's financial backing of Curtis Yarvin, who calls for replacing democracy with a corporate-led monarchy -- the political form of monopoly. Creepy!

[hinkley]

The paywalled, appeal to authority article?

[groundzeros2015]

So, you didn't read it either?

> appeal to authority

Very true, reading the article before commenting is definitely not for "free thinkers".

[tehlike]

That's not what i quite meant, but yeah. Competition is good for consumers.

[direwolf20]

HN is a site aimed at future C-suiters and those who willingly make them rich. It's on target.