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As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.....except maximizing profits.
We feel strongly about helping people save money. So strongly we sometimes hold back. No more. Today, we’re introducing “Frugality Rants” to let you read non-watered-down opinions. The following is the author’s opinion. — The Editor
I’m going to give you a list, and I want you to figure out what doesn’t belong. Ready?
Socrates. Plato. Aristotle. Goldman Sachs.
If you answered Plato, you are desperately mistaken. The correct answer is, of course, Goldman Sachs. But why would a major corporation like that even be mentioned in the same breath as some of the most famous and influential thinkers of all time?
The answer is because they are all philosophers. While the former three pondered the state of humanity within the realm of the physical universe, the latter is pondering how to separate you from your wallet.
Have you ever walked into a store to find their company “philosophy” posted upon the wall? It’s always the same recycled tripe you hear from every other company. The customer comes first. We don’t sacrifice customer service for corporate growth…..whatever. They even have philosophies for their employees to live by.
The thing is, these are businesses, and they are motivated by one thing and one thing only: maximum profits. They could care less about your personal experience with the company as long as you continue to come back and purchase their goods or services over and over again. Their “philosophy” is a sham, and it’s the first step that they take in creating a larger façade and turning an unsuspecting consumer into their own cash flow lemming.
Whether you know it or not, they are selling you this philosophy. Sure, it may not cost you anything, but they desperately want you to believe in the humanity of the company. They want you to feel as if this is a company that cares about people, a company that you can relate to.
The fact remains that a “company” is made up of hundreds of interchangeable and easily replaceable pieces called employees. If you want to know how a company truly feels about people, you need look no further than how it treats its employees.
Look at places that exploit and abuse their employees. How can a company preach about a “family atmosphere” when the people who are working for it are regarded as so inconsequential?
Am I saying that there aren’t legitimately good companies out there? No. There are great companies out there that are really striving to provide something great for customers and for their employees. But the bottom line is that it’s all about the dollar, your dollar.
Don’t fall for the marketing. Don’t become easy prey for the greediest among us. They are working tirelessly to separate us from our money, so the least we could do is put up a valiant fight to keep it.
Do you agree? Do you have a “Frugality Rant” of your own? What do you think of this new series? Let us know with a comment! And don’t forget to play The Frugality Game today.
Photo by bencrowe
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