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> The agricultural machine manufacturer has a subscription service that lets owners repair their own equipment. Why is barely anybody using it?

Because it doesn't address the actual problem.

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The problem the company has is not making enough money. It addresses that problem.

The funny thing about that problem is that it is unsolvable.


We're seeing "it's never enough" play out right in front of our eyes.

Then the problem is they don't have a real competitor. I suspect the government aided them in getting in that position because we export those machines, and the US likes the strategic position of being the source of everyone's farm equipment.

Hard to break a monopoly when the government considers maintaining it to be a strategic interest.


No matter how much the business makes, at some point their stock price comes up to the equilibrium with the rest of market. And since for CEO to get bonus he needs stock to go up, the businesses inevitably start applying dirty tricks at one point or another. That's just a system

> since for CEO to get bonus he needs stock to go up, the businesses inevitably start applying dirty tricks

Is that a system or is it individual greed? Every economic system has its own weak points that can be exploited by bad actors. Capitalism works. What doesn’t work is letting people get away with dirty tricks.


Thats why the covert sociopaths extend their dirty trickery on politics and public discourse.

That system really needs to go.

We'll never solve major challenges like the ever rising income gap, global warming and other environmental concerns and the inevitable cycle of enshittification without it.

The problem is that especially America views unrestricted capitalism as some kind of religion beyond reproach. They consider it a fact of life. But it is very hollow, it glorifies profit above all and has no eye for externalities.

As they currently control a lot of the world trade we're kinda stuck with that system. Trump voters are so angry because they've been getting the short end of the stick for decades. And he is alienating most of his allies meaning everyone is looking for ways to become less dependent on the petrodollar.

Unfortunately they voted for someone who will make it even worse. Instead of 'sticking it to the man' they're giving it to the man.


The system of capitalism works fine with one exception: it doesn't handle negative value. And this is what's being exploited here. You can lose customer's data and it's their problem. Borrow, take risk, lost money, and declare corporate bankruptcy - no personal loss. Destroy environment - say sorry and that's it. That's not free market. When CEOs have their personal assets taken, and kidneys removed to pay for the corporate debts - this is when things start changing

That’s the companies problem.

The farmers problem is the company is squeezing too much money out of them.

There is no single solution to both problems.


> There is no single solution to both problems

Competition?


Didn't help the non-spying TV market.

How would that help the company?

It would cause them to pivot and attempt to be better. Give a mouse a button that pleasures it's brain and it will push it until it dies. That's what the senior leadership at these companies are doing. Bribe government officials to keep the pleasure button going, to the detriment of the company and society.

Competition forces companies to stop just pressing the pleasure button and start drinking from the water again.




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