There seems to be a perceived disconnect between the normal person and the corporation. People get riled up from stories about low pay, cost-cutting, and other “disgusting” or “despicable” big business practices. But why do you think businesses act this way? They act this way because of you and me and everyone else who demands more for less every time we buy.
Corporate incentives are directly shaped by consumer preference. When we decide we want to pay 1.99 instead of 2.49 we are telling these corporations to seek out options for lower pay and cutting costs. This is how the capitalist world works: self-interest maximization shapes the entire spectrum of reality from household to conference room. There is no us vs them, and certainly no victim. The world is built around dollars because we are built around dollars. It’s not as sexy as exploitation or conspiracy, but you don’t get to pick your reality, especially when you are responsible for it.
