Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Walleye

(42,733 posts)
1. I think it was Joseph Conrad, who said this about capitalists
Sun Oct 5, 2025, 09:27 AM
Sunday

Something like they praise and love competition, but in their hearts, they cherish a monopoly

I think it was Joseph Conrad, who said this about capitalists Walleye Sunday #1
Adam Smith had a few things to say about that ... eppur_se_muova Sunday #5
Nice to trash it from on high but those of us in a real world appreciate not having to Srkdqltr Sunday #2
I agree. mdbl Sunday #4
Way back when amazon started i was suprised that Sears or Pennys didn't take over as Srkdqltr Sunday #6
A Pet Peeve ProfessorGAC Sunday #13
Yes . They messed up a long term gain for quick money. Srkdqltr Sunday #16
Sears made quality products also. ananda Sunday #55
The other problem was Amazon started it's first years purposely working at a loss mdbl Sunday #92
Yeah, And The Execs At Sears... ProfessorGAC Sunday #98
Sears blew it in the 1990s IbogaProject Sunday #36
I seem to remember Sears hiring a CEO who set executives and managers against each other in life-or-death competition, RVN VET71 Monday #107
There are alternatives to Amazon... buzzycrumbhunger Sunday #48
Ebay is nowhere near the same. You are buying from other people's houses. No. Srkdqltr Sunday #62
Are they free without the Prime membership? mdbl Sunday #65
They deliver stuff i need , no added expense, next day. I read a lot so the prime service Srkdqltr Sunday #71
Many eBay sellers are full-time businesses. They have to register with eBay as such. Emrys Sunday #91
Most people don't want to "do their homework" every time they need TP. Maru Kitteh Monday #117
I don't buy toilet paper online Emrys Yesterday #119
The problem is lonely bird Sunday #75
We but online, Amazon mainly, and have for many years. OLDMDDEM Sunday #29
Of all the systems mentioned, Amazon is the least shitty Bluetus Sunday #37
I think the point of the article is that those people who do rely on Amazon have a right to expect a better service meadowlander Sunday #56
Bezos is shit mdbl Sunday #67
convenience Be Leave On Sunday #61
No, poor planning or plain greed causes someone to cross a picket line. mdbl Sunday #100
convenient Be Leave On Monday #106
GIVE ME CONVENIENCE OR GIVE ME DEATH! Coventina 22 hrs ago #124
You do understand that therre are online markets that are NOT Amazon? DBoon Sunday #85
Exactly nt Raine Sunday #93
Well, a slightly contrarian point RandomNumbers Sunday #3
Regarding searching on Amazon, do you know why when I enter something like "women's blue jeans," CrispyQ Sunday #7
I can't say for sure, but what is probably happening is the first page you see is the actual items, unsorted. erronis Sunday #8
I hadn't noticed the featured box until this thread. CrispyQ Sunday #44
Wish I could help. RandomNumbers Sunday #9
It's not just blue jeans, it's anything. And almost every search. CrispyQ Sunday #42
Amazon UI has been horrible lately The Revolution Sunday #79
You have to click some to clean up those results IbogaProject Sunday #40
Thank you! I just noticed that little box in the upper right. -nt CrispyQ Sunday #43
It's easier and more satisfying to me to delete entities like Facebook and Amazon from my personal universe... hunter Sunday #10
Yeah but even with their games, Amazon provides services RandomNumbers Sunday #18
I may return to Amazon when they feel the pressure of government regulation and labor unions again. hunter Sunday #21
regarding #1 Orrex Sunday #22
Not sure RandomNumbers Sunday #25
If you have a way to get me out of the FB trap on photos, I would appreciate it Hekate Sunday #38
Yikes! RandomNumbers Sunday #41
Your point is well taken, but the enshittification of... Mr. Mustard 2023 Sunday #11
Some companies are so big, & their competitors too, that they just don't care if they piss their customers off. CrispyQ Sunday #20
Well, you're right about some of that, and wrong about other things. MineralMan Sunday #12
I'm curious as to why you said Amazon's selling of books is a "monopoly". llmart Sunday #26
Most people have not been in a bookstore MineralMan Sunday #74
Okay. I see what you were getting at. llmart Sunday #89
Bookstores that have stayed in business do seem to be busy. MineralMan Monday #108
I worked in libraries for 10 years. llmart Monday #112
I love libraries! MineralMan Monday #113
This is how I feel about it, too. ShazzieB Sunday #27
I am also not a fan but. . . . h2ebits Sunday #49
One big problem with Amazon is their Sku mixing IbogaProject Sunday #45
You do have to read the listings. MineralMan Sunday #73
You can share Prime accounts with your household The Revolution Sunday #81
I'm just curious Skittles Sunday #96
We both had them from before we met The Revolution Sunday #97
ahhhhh OK Skittles Sunday #99
"Enshittification" PatSeg Sunday #14
Definitely! calimary Sunday #58
I'm adding it to my personal dictionary! PatSeg Sunday #60
It's definitely "a thing" now! calimary Sunday #63
Google has been diluting results for a long time. Tetrachloride Sunday #15
Try DuckDuckGo. Pinback Sunday #24
I generally use DDG. However, I still sense dilution. Wikipedia is far and away my top general source. Tetrachloride Sunday #28
Agreed, Wikipedia is tops for info searches. Pinback Sunday #32
ty. that's news to me on the email Tetrachloride Sunday #33
Info here: Pinback Sunday #50
Invest in an ad blocker. they do work// Historic NY Sunday #17
the browser Brave is what I use for all general reading. Tetrachloride Sunday #34
I use Firefox as my browser. . . h2ebits Sunday #51
the enshitting of america oldinmtdem92 Sunday #19
"scroll past 10 screens of (slop) - just to get to one post" Grins Sunday #23
Become a star member and you're ad free. ms liberty Sunday #66
You assume this is the only site I visit. Grins 22 hrs ago #122
You assume that is what I think; your assumption is incorrect. ms liberty 22 hrs ago #123
We all understand that some people need to use online services. LisaM Sunday #30
Yep. meadowlander Sunday #59
I too had the Amazon addiction. Ease, free shipping, etc mdbl Sunday #68
Agreed. love_katz Sunday #77
Amazon has always been a problem, starting with the tax issue. LisaM Monday #111
The still existing brick and mortar stores all have ecommerce sites mdbl Sunday #94
The Great Enshittening has been upon us since the 80's. flvegan Sunday #31
"It uses its overview of merchants' sales, as well as its ability to observe the return addresses on direct shipments fr BlueWaveNeverEnd Sunday #35
So It's Not Just Me? RobinA Sunday #39
This all comes down to our Economic and Monetary systems IbogaProject Sunday #46
We've noticed that we always have to pay attention to the details. marble falls Sunday #47
I like Amazon way more than I like the Guardian. marybourg Sunday #52
Not me. There's nothing left in the USA to read that's not Foxified. mdbl Sunday #69
Well, the Guardian may not be foxified, but I do find it to be smugified, marybourg Sunday #70
I've been screwed so many times by 3rd party sellers on Amazon, in the last few years progree Sunday #53
I had the same problem when I was buying from Amazon 3rd party mdbl Monday #114
Etsy is the best example of this! EarthAbides Sunday #54
Because their business model is to... WestMichRad Sunday #57
Amazon got on my boycott list Richard_GB Sunday #64
What exactly is wrong with Amazon? mwb970 Sunday #72
Well, First For Me RobinA Sunday #76
I have never had this problem. mwb970 Sunday #78
Again, I am sorry you have had poor results. mwb970 Yesterday #121
Once I quit Amazon I discovered I don't need or want anything I can't get locally... hunter Monday #118
Fantastic! But my results and preferences are different from yours. mwb970 Yesterday #120
Please read the full article. love_katz Sunday #80
I did read the full article before I made this post. mdbl Sunday #90
My comment was for the rest of the readers on the thread. love_katz Sunday #102
Oh ok. Sorry, I misunderstood. mdbl Monday #115
Excellent article and discussion, by the way. love_katz Monday #116
This stood out to me The Revolution Sunday #82
search, social media, online shopping, app stores, video games, streaming -- all enshittified paulkienitz Sunday #83
Thank you for posting UpInArms Sunday #84
Good article. We just love to dance with the bringers of our own destruction. Scrivener7 Sunday #86
Unrecognizable OC375 Sunday #87
But Mackenzie Scott... TheJillMill Sunday #88
She's doing a lot of good in the world Pinback Sunday #101
Amazon has Paid Trump Millions & Now Hosts the Trump Official Store Battle Blue Sunday #95
The Yahoo model. I used to be active in a bunch of Yahoo groups. Then they weren't happy with ads on the sides and LT Barclay Sunday #103
Amazon searches are so bogus..... for example IcyPeas Monday #104
Add ShipT - Target's grocery delivery service - to the BEWARE LIST progree Monday #105
This was the plan from Day 1 of the Internet dwayneb Monday #109
How to search for something on Amazon like the old days dwayneb Monday #110
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Way past its prime: how d...»Reply #1