Remember Tim Cook giving Trump that glass and gold… thing?
I remember being puzzled by the scene.
I remember staring at the TV trying to figure out if it was a trophy, a paperweight, or one of Lady Gaga’s hats.
One of the world’s most powerful people in business - Apple made about as much as Denmark and Ireland’s GDP in 2024 - taking a figurative knee for what a lot of people are saying is the dumbest president the USA has ever had (and I feel there’s some competition).
Of course, the argument was given that Cook was just being a good business person and helping Apple avoid some punishing tariffs and hopefully currying favour with Trump.
Smart.
Even at a recent White House dinner, tech leaders from Microsoft, AMD, Oracle, OpenAI, Apple, Google, and Meta openly praised Trump’s AI and innovation policies.
In normal times this would all be fine.
Slimy, but fine.
Reasonable.
Savvy even.
…
These are not normal times.
Anyone can see that these are not normal times.
These times are of the Not Normal variety.
Part of the What The Fuck family.
We’re drowning in authoritarian red flags — so many that it feels like that Simpsons bit where Sideshow Bob keeps stepping on rakes. Every day: whack. Another rake. Another bruise. And we just keep walking forward like, “Well, maybe the next one won’t hurt as much.”
It’s stupid.
We know it’s stupid.
But no one wants to stand up to it.
Well, actually lots of people do.
Just not very many businesses.
Business is business after all.
There may be no bottom to what’s evidently happening.. but there is a bottom line.
Businesses are scared too.
They’re making decisions based on a diminishing sense of optimism that “this won’t last”.
All hoping they’ll be a BMW, Volkswagen, or Deutsche Bank and play along with Mr Crazypants leader until the heat dies down and they can walk away relatively unscathed.
Except history doesn’t always let you just slip away.
Take Friedrich Flick, a German tycoon who thought Herr Crazystache’s plans sounded like a great investment opportunity. He scooped up Jewish-owned companies at bargain prices and even used forced labour because hey, cheap is cheap.
He was tried at Nuremberg, got seven years, and only served three.
Released early, probably thanks to “business is business, bro” leniency.
He died a billionaire.
So, less “told you so” justice… more “for fuck’s sake.”
But at least history still remembers him as a dick. So that’s something.
So, what’s the takeaway here?
What can we do?
Boycott businesses and products?
Sure, but that sometimes leads to more suffering and can put the boycotter at a disadvantage.
It can also consume your every waking hour.
Don’t put yourself at a disadvantage to make a point.
However we can make small decisions.
Choose the lesser of available evils.
Support those businesses that aren’t sucking up and acting a little too comfortable with it all.
Sometimes we won’t have a choice… that sucks, but don’t sweat it.
This is your life.
Take care of you so you can give your all to the good fight.
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