Most dot.coms disappeared. It turned out, they weren’t really offering ‘knowledge,’ but just information, and much of it was false, misleading, or unnecessary. In other words, it was a waste of time.
First of all, the Magnificent 7 could really care less about the customer. This is a particularly salient feature of the Big Tech industry. They believe they already know what the customer needs. Except perhaps in the Gaming space, they don’t care about what the customer wants. Their most important, one could say only, real customer is the government(care to guess why) Secondarily, they consider each other customers in the critical interface space that is High Tech B2B. But the man(or woman) on the street is just a prol, and will either be manipulated, surveilled or eliminated according to the dictates of Customer Number One.
If they could care less, then they must care to some degree. I think the problem is otherwise; I think they don't give a damn, at all, and their disregard is obvious. Therefore, they could not care less, because their level of regard is already at the bottom.
"I could care less." Is one of the most common contortions of the english language. I've heard many profound thinkers and writers use it when the real meaning is "I couldn't care less," or more appropriately. "I could not care less."
It's more common than not. A week example of semantic saciation ... As my seventh grade english teacher would have told me.
Thanks, I was a bit confused. I always enjoy your thought-provoking comments. Today's comment didn't seem consistent with your usual insight and concise expression. Keep posting. Best always. PM
This musing was right on point! I don’t do any social media and can’t figure why anybody wastes so much time reading and forwarding useless pieces of information. My brother has often said that Steve Jobs ruined humanity when he grew the cell phone market. Take all that time, energy, and intelligence and do something useful for the world. Also, I want my privacy back!
I put up a new ceiling fan a few months ago. My wife had ordered it off Amazon. It can only be operated eith a remote. I spoke with my electrician about it, saying how aggravating it was to have to look for the remote before you can turn on the light. He said they just screw the remotes to the wall beside the switches (that do nothing now,)......In many ways that sums up much of new tech: Companies designing and building products that solve problems that do not exist. Ceiling fans became widespread in the 1940's and had pull chains to operate them. By the 1980's, switches and light kits were on the scene. After that, no more tech is needed, yet here we are. I am renovating a bathroom right now for an African architect. His wife decided she wanted a "smart" toilet. They purchased a disposable toilet. No parts are available tonrepair it. Thomas Crapper designed something that used no energy and has few moving parts yet "tech" has tried to improve it. I believe that much of tech is wasted energy on solving phantom problems. A mechanic recently discussed how a person backed their car into something and damaged the backup camera. It would start after that. It took sevwral technicians days to "discover" the camera had a "safety" device fail switch. Tech is making things more complicated that do not need to be. What value are they adding? I look at life very simply. Food, Clithing and Shelter are essential. Make these better, faster, and cheaper with technology. The interesting result of tech in food production is that the more high tech, hi yield crop seeds become, the less nutrition they have. The more high tech homes become using more sealed components, the less healthy homes are. So, we seal up homes to make them efficient, just to turn around and pump 20% fresh air to make them healthy. we would be better off just buying the older drafty versions of the windows and having a natural air replacement. I find myself crawling into my dinosaur cave and appreciating low/no tech these days. Mentally, I do not want to keep up.
More Good Economic news is on the way, 16 days into the new year and market action has positively indicated the coming deregulation sector, Sir Musk’s tax policy revision, and the private sector business boom sending the Stock Market to new highs.
Historical data indicates that Lord Trump, the American Savior will elevated small cap stocks to levels never venues seen in the Stock Market.
As the Federal Reserve remains stedfast on rates, they shall remain stationary. This will exacerbate the power of “tariffs” set to uphold the Constitutional approach of Great America.
Market pattern normality indicated a brief pre-holiday sell off, but the elite hot dogs had to pull the reins on the money horse before they prevented going to the glue factory. S&P up by the hundreds, a true sign of inflation decreased and bottoming interest rates.
Now The Son of Fred enters The White House with an abundant anointment from God. President Trump enamels the center Truth of hope and prosperity.
The distant land reaches a robotic arm to ascertain the knowledge brain power and thinking modality of Lord Trump, as they seek to see the shining light in front of His path, you are safe and secured, wealthy and fed, in the presence of Lord Trump, touch His garment and you shall be healed with the miracle of Mezhtian.
Well Bill I must say you really nailed it in this article. I have an Apple computer, phone and ipad but wish I could use an answering machine, simpler and better at time conservation with no decrease in significance of my responses. I could buy a Dell and get the same info and email. I love my chainsaws and have 3 of them. Most significant production of heat versus cost I can imagine and a form of insurance. I really don't see the value of these big tech companies. Sure there is some value but is it essential? Sorry but not for me. Certainly all this "information" which consumes a couple hours a day of just deleting nonsense isn't worth my time but I "must" keep up. It is all interesting but is it worth the time and expense? My gut says no.
But there s a big difference between what works and does not work. If what prevails in constant change related to automotive were adapted to aviation we would not be having this conversation. : )
Interesting way to analyze. But so true as I have had a chain saw for years. Never thought of the economy in this sense. Thanks. another way to view Our economy.
It’s a real wonder … take out Apple & Amazon and the rest of the magnificent 7 are essentially advertising companies. To think they are worth perhaps 100 times more than the total value of goods & services they could possibly sell is a true modern wonder!!
"Where is that $13 trillion pile of wood?"
It's resting atop the $36 Trillion mountain of debt. Both the pile and the mountain are made from the same worthless promises...
Javier Milei would be proud of the chainsaw mention in this post.
OMG, I’m going to faint. Today I mostly agree with Bill Bonner.
AP
Abe, your response to Ol'Bill's missive today put a HUGE smile on my face. Even it it is only "mostly" - life is good. Thank you for the chuckle!!
First of all, the Magnificent 7 could really care less about the customer. This is a particularly salient feature of the Big Tech industry. They believe they already know what the customer needs. Except perhaps in the Gaming space, they don’t care about what the customer wants. Their most important, one could say only, real customer is the government(care to guess why) Secondarily, they consider each other customers in the critical interface space that is High Tech B2B. But the man(or woman) on the street is just a prol, and will either be manipulated, surveilled or eliminated according to the dictates of Customer Number One.
If they could care less, then they must care to some degree. I think the problem is otherwise; I think they don't give a damn, at all, and their disregard is obvious. Therefore, they could not care less, because their level of regard is already at the bottom.
Yes Paul I think you stated it more precisely than I did.
"I could care less." Is one of the most common contortions of the english language. I've heard many profound thinkers and writers use it when the real meaning is "I couldn't care less," or more appropriately. "I could not care less."
It's more common than not. A week example of semantic saciation ... As my seventh grade english teacher would have told me.
Yes exactly, what you said.
Otherwise known as a feeble instance of fulfilling words - but we know what you meant...
;)
Thanks, I was a bit confused. I always enjoy your thought-provoking comments. Today's comment didn't seem consistent with your usual insight and concise expression. Keep posting. Best always. PM
The wood pile analogy is great.
He who cuts the wood, warms himself twice.
Sorry you’ve got that wrong. It’s at least three or four times.
True. The person who is sawing logs however, does not.
This musing was right on point! I don’t do any social media and can’t figure why anybody wastes so much time reading and forwarding useless pieces of information. My brother has often said that Steve Jobs ruined humanity when he grew the cell phone market. Take all that time, energy, and intelligence and do something useful for the world. Also, I want my privacy back!
That's what she said!
At last a good review!!
RALPH W.
I put up a new ceiling fan a few months ago. My wife had ordered it off Amazon. It can only be operated eith a remote. I spoke with my electrician about it, saying how aggravating it was to have to look for the remote before you can turn on the light. He said they just screw the remotes to the wall beside the switches (that do nothing now,)......In many ways that sums up much of new tech: Companies designing and building products that solve problems that do not exist. Ceiling fans became widespread in the 1940's and had pull chains to operate them. By the 1980's, switches and light kits were on the scene. After that, no more tech is needed, yet here we are. I am renovating a bathroom right now for an African architect. His wife decided she wanted a "smart" toilet. They purchased a disposable toilet. No parts are available tonrepair it. Thomas Crapper designed something that used no energy and has few moving parts yet "tech" has tried to improve it. I believe that much of tech is wasted energy on solving phantom problems. A mechanic recently discussed how a person backed their car into something and damaged the backup camera. It would start after that. It took sevwral technicians days to "discover" the camera had a "safety" device fail switch. Tech is making things more complicated that do not need to be. What value are they adding? I look at life very simply. Food, Clithing and Shelter are essential. Make these better, faster, and cheaper with technology. The interesting result of tech in food production is that the more high tech, hi yield crop seeds become, the less nutrition they have. The more high tech homes become using more sealed components, the less healthy homes are. So, we seal up homes to make them efficient, just to turn around and pump 20% fresh air to make them healthy. we would be better off just buying the older drafty versions of the windows and having a natural air replacement. I find myself crawling into my dinosaur cave and appreciating low/no tech these days. Mentally, I do not want to keep up.
More Good Economic news is on the way, 16 days into the new year and market action has positively indicated the coming deregulation sector, Sir Musk’s tax policy revision, and the private sector business boom sending the Stock Market to new highs.
Historical data indicates that Lord Trump, the American Savior will elevated small cap stocks to levels never venues seen in the Stock Market.
As the Federal Reserve remains stedfast on rates, they shall remain stationary. This will exacerbate the power of “tariffs” set to uphold the Constitutional approach of Great America.
Market pattern normality indicated a brief pre-holiday sell off, but the elite hot dogs had to pull the reins on the money horse before they prevented going to the glue factory. S&P up by the hundreds, a true sign of inflation decreased and bottoming interest rates.
Now The Son of Fred enters The White House with an abundant anointment from God. President Trump enamels the center Truth of hope and prosperity.
The distant land reaches a robotic arm to ascertain the knowledge brain power and thinking modality of Lord Trump, as they seek to see the shining light in front of His path, you are safe and secured, wealthy and fed, in the presence of Lord Trump, touch His garment and you shall be healed with the miracle of Mezhtian.
Well Bill I must say you really nailed it in this article. I have an Apple computer, phone and ipad but wish I could use an answering machine, simpler and better at time conservation with no decrease in significance of my responses. I could buy a Dell and get the same info and email. I love my chainsaws and have 3 of them. Most significant production of heat versus cost I can imagine and a form of insurance. I really don't see the value of these big tech companies. Sure there is some value but is it essential? Sorry but not for me. Certainly all this "information" which consumes a couple hours a day of just deleting nonsense isn't worth my time but I "must" keep up. It is all interesting but is it worth the time and expense? My gut says no.
Very interesting and intriguing take, Bill. Great column.
Can you say "luddite"...
True, but he does make some good points.
But there s a big difference between what works and does not work. If what prevails in constant change related to automotive were adapted to aviation we would not be having this conversation. : )
The KISS principle still applies.
Interesting way to analyze. But so true as I have had a chain saw for years. Never thought of the economy in this sense. Thanks. another way to view Our economy.
It’s a real wonder … take out Apple & Amazon and the rest of the magnificent 7 are essentially advertising companies. To think they are worth perhaps 100 times more than the total value of goods & services they could possibly sell is a true modern wonder!!
Oh yes, I'm burning part of my pile of wood as I type. Good article ,Bill.
A good one. My thoughts exactly.