Since corporations are already funding elections it makes perfect sense that CEOs would feel entitled to claim a "moral necessity" to "step in". Why just work behind the scenes when you can cut out the middle man and position yourself as the answer to every problem (concerning your bottom line).
Where's the morality of having American engineers training their replacements with foreign workers? Why don't they spend their money helping American engineers get jobs instead of demanding more H-2B work visas for Indian engineer?. Apparently, morality and ethics only goes as far as their bottom line.
3
Moral Responsibility begins with paying one's bills. Cook refuses to send me anything for my "What will your verse be?" speech that I let be used in Dead Poets Society to dissuade teens from suicide. He used it to sell iPads.
Apple could pay some income taxes, too. That would be nice. They're a bunch of thieving no-goods is what Apple is. Good phones though, huh? Evil isn't all evil, is it?
Apple could pay some income taxes, too. That would be nice. They're a bunch of thieving no-goods is what Apple is. Good phones though, huh? Evil isn't all evil, is it?
6
Was this an advertorial? Because it's pathetic as reporting. You have a guy here who has shown a gross willingness to bow down to China's communists, to ignore the American fundamentals of human rights and freedom of speech, and you're giving him a platform to talk about his moral responsibility in the US? The word China isn't even in the article.
One more diminishment of the NY Times.
Pathetic.
One more diminishment of the NY Times.
Pathetic.
8
Knowing what Mr. Cook eats for breakfast is already more than I want to know him. Hold the morality on mine, dry toast will do just fine for me.
2
Give me a break.
Is this the same Tim Cook who was acting chief of Apple when they were sued for anti-trust violations for entering bilateral agreements with other companies not to hire each others engineers.
Or the Tim Cook who runs Chinese sweatshops to avoid hiring Americans. Including improper disposal of hazardous materials. There was a tragic accident that killed 4 workers and injured 18. In a separate incident in China 49 people in an Apple factory were poisoned by hexane. Then there are the suicides at Chinese Apple factories.
Then there is the no employee Irish company they run to avoid paying US taxes. Stealing billions from hard working Americans.
Cook is human garbage
Is this the same Tim Cook who was acting chief of Apple when they were sued for anti-trust violations for entering bilateral agreements with other companies not to hire each others engineers.
Or the Tim Cook who runs Chinese sweatshops to avoid hiring Americans. Including improper disposal of hazardous materials. There was a tragic accident that killed 4 workers and injured 18. In a separate incident in China 49 people in an Apple factory were poisoned by hexane. Then there are the suicides at Chinese Apple factories.
Then there is the no employee Irish company they run to avoid paying US taxes. Stealing billions from hard working Americans.
Cook is human garbage
5
If Cook is so concerned about social issues and government's capacity to meet needs, maybe Apple should stop hiding its profits off shore and pay its fair share so that more needs can be met.
8
I appreciate apple's and Mr.Cook's ‘Moral Responsibility’ , after all , they are trying to make this world better, make this society better , they are doing good things to people and to society , I think that's all important to me , despite any other issues.
The arrogance, the vanity, the hypocrisy. Pay your taxes and stop creating a global oligarchy. That's all that we the people require from you. We'll do just fine if we never hear anything else from you......ever.
3
Mr. Cook can do his share of 'moral responsibility' by making his company pay its fair share of taxes. Until then it's just blather.
4
Buy out your shareholders and be as moral as you like. Remain a slave to the quarterly earnings report, you dance to the tune someone else is calling.
1
New York Time again is trapped into providing free P.R. to a company that claims "moral responsibility, but continuously evades tax and in the case of "moral" Apple had for years used slave labor in China until they were exposed.
The only Moral in many of these corporation is providing their shareholders as much money as possible (e.g. Uber and others). If some nice P.R. will help that cause they will do it, but if doing the right thing morally would cause them to lose some money for a short time, don't expect much from Tim Cook and his colleagues.
The only Moral in many of these corporation is providing their shareholders as much money as possible (e.g. Uber and others). If some nice P.R. will help that cause they will do it, but if doing the right thing morally would cause them to lose some money for a short time, don't expect much from Tim Cook and his colleagues.
3
The problem is not government. It is politicians pretending to be law makers and leaders who think they can lead us into division and oblivion then turn around and blame "government." Government is saving lives at the moment in Texas, effectively without the need for so called "leadership" from the top.
It is good that businesses try to do the right thing, like Apple, Starbucks and others. Unfortunately there are many more businesses and wealthy individuals, like the Kochs that use and manipulate the government of the people for their own get richer quicker schemes. After all, it is private interests that normally corrupt government for their own purposes than the other way around.
It is good that businesses try to do the right thing, like Apple, Starbucks and others. Unfortunately there are many more businesses and wealthy individuals, like the Kochs that use and manipulate the government of the people for their own get richer quicker schemes. After all, it is private interests that normally corrupt government for their own purposes than the other way around.
2
"Oh gosh," the vast majority of their highly productive retail store employees earn under 15/hour. Fortunately, the stores are located in low-cost areas. With 250 billion in the bank, he's a highly offensive huckster.
3
It seems to me that our politicians' moral responsibility is to create the tax base that allows every child to go to a great public school, whether funded by Apple or not, and to have the freedom to pursue any career choice the child wants, not just making apps for Apple as some sort of payback.
5
How about working on a solution to the housing crisis in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area? Will the same inflation of housing costs come to Iowa? How much research has been done on the impact of these tech jobs in those states that are giving enormous tax breaks? How much will an influx of new jobs impact infrastructure, schools and health care in an area? Are there enoughbprimary care physicians to handle a larger population in the developing towns? What are the impacts on the environment?
People need good jobs. They also need communities that are liveable. Hopefully some of the Apple cash will go toward making sure quality of life is good and sustainable.
People need good jobs. They also need communities that are liveable. Hopefully some of the Apple cash will go toward making sure quality of life is good and sustainable.
5
When Mr Cook stops charging customers twice as much as a large screen tv for a phone, starts paying workers a living wage no matter where they live, stops hoarding profits offshore to avoid paying taxes at home and establishes a balance between prices and wages that doesn't leave his top 9 executives making as much as 89,000 Chinese factory workers then he can talk about moral responsibility.
http://www.epi.org/publication/apple-executives-pay-foxconn-workers/
http://www.epi.org/publication/apple-executives-pay-foxconn-workers/
8
Reading this article makes me wonder how Allan Bloom, the author of "The Closing of the American Mind", would respond were he still alive. His book, now 30 years old, is not only still valid but the point of the validation of morals remains unanswered. He recounts a university lecture in which one of the university leaders was appealing to students for moral responsibility. One of the students arose and shouted defiantly, "but whose morals?" That is really still the great question.
While I applaud Mr. Cook's enthusiasm for renewables and such, appealing to Americans to have "moral responsibility" is quite absurd because we have somehow reached the mistaken conclusion (as Bloom laments in his book) that anyone's morals are as good as the next person's. That is illogical and ridiculous. Americans can't even decide if they believe in objective truth and right or wrong without constructing some nuanced answer to avoid the question. This quite reminds me of the Old Testament confrontation between Elijah and the false prophets. As the story reaches its climax, he challenges the Israelites with this statement, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." It is only logical that a correct version of moral responsibility must be drawn from a source. Until Americans can at least agree on some version of that, we will continue to be divided and even the best efforts of people like Mr. Cook are in vain.
While I applaud Mr. Cook's enthusiasm for renewables and such, appealing to Americans to have "moral responsibility" is quite absurd because we have somehow reached the mistaken conclusion (as Bloom laments in his book) that anyone's morals are as good as the next person's. That is illogical and ridiculous. Americans can't even decide if they believe in objective truth and right or wrong without constructing some nuanced answer to avoid the question. This quite reminds me of the Old Testament confrontation between Elijah and the false prophets. As the story reaches its climax, he challenges the Israelites with this statement, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." It is only logical that a correct version of moral responsibility must be drawn from a source. Until Americans can at least agree on some version of that, we will continue to be divided and even the best efforts of people like Mr. Cook are in vain.
3
Corporations are not people, they don't go to jail and they have no morals. Lobbying for your corporate interests is not a moral act.
3
Exactly, so why are they given rights and privileges per Citizens United? Legalized bribery has placed our nation at great risk by allowing two people who were never Presidential material become our only choices--we got bad and really bad.
1
Government is now morally bankrupt because his class have made it so via outright bribery of politicians and a tax boycott dating back 4 decades. Let's ask the people of Waukee, IA, that just gave Apple $208 Million worth of tax abatements for a data center that created 50 jobs whether that's really worth this kind of "moral leadership".
7
That'a right. Go to the states that give you the biggest tax breaks. Then go to the Apple Stores located in big cities far away from Iowa.
New York has quite a few Apples Stores. Why not bring some of your facilities here where we could use the jobs as well and will actually spend money on your very expensive products?
If you w really want diversity, bring your programs and business to NYC. You will get all the diversity you will ever need, and an eager workforce to boot.
New York has quite a few Apples Stores. Why not bring some of your facilities here where we could use the jobs as well and will actually spend money on your very expensive products?
If you w really want diversity, bring your programs and business to NYC. You will get all the diversity you will ever need, and an eager workforce to boot.
All the morals money can buy.
4
As a customer sine Apple II days and a shareholder since 2000, I would prefer Mr Cook return to Cupertino and get busy on the new Mac Pro Workstation we have been promised. Apple killed the real Mac Pro line almost 5 years ago for a styling exercise (the Trashcan) that has been a flop, leaving those of us who want a proper tower- not a skinny sealed up box- to twist in the wind.
With the money and human resources Apple has these days, they should be able to walk and chew gum- take care of iOS, Services and keep the Mac line current. That means taking care of the creative and scientific markets that want a Workstation with more than integrated graphics, that can be upgraded, user maintained and last more than 2 years.
Mr Cook seems a nice man, but he is spending too much time on stuff away from the core business. The Mac line as a stand alone would still be a Fortune 100 Company and deserves better than the attention it has been given under his leadership.
Steve Jobs in a talk likened PCs to Trucks and said some people would always want them. People like me. Some of us want the 4x4 Super Duty Extended Cab Truck ( a workstation tower) and not a crossover (iMac) or a coupe(MacBook Pro). I am not doing my work squinting at a Phone or an iPad.
With the money and human resources Apple has these days, they should be able to walk and chew gum- take care of iOS, Services and keep the Mac line current. That means taking care of the creative and scientific markets that want a Workstation with more than integrated graphics, that can be upgraded, user maintained and last more than 2 years.
Mr Cook seems a nice man, but he is spending too much time on stuff away from the core business. The Mac line as a stand alone would still be a Fortune 100 Company and deserves better than the attention it has been given under his leadership.
Steve Jobs in a talk likened PCs to Trucks and said some people would always want them. People like me. Some of us want the 4x4 Super Duty Extended Cab Truck ( a workstation tower) and not a crossover (iMac) or a coupe(MacBook Pro). I am not doing my work squinting at a Phone or an iPad.
4
Of course he likes to trumpet "moral responsibility" however, Apple looks extremely hypocritical when it comes to dealing with China. Apple fought the US Govt tooth and nail during the San Bernardino investigation, but when China asks for all their iCloud data to be stored on a Govt. funded server farm, they have no problems. Apple always takes the most politically correct and expedient course when it comes to their business. So they will always fight for LGBTQ, equal race relations...the easy stuff. This goes by the wayside however, when it interferes with profits (ie. China).
6
I can't think of many corporations LESS ethical or moral than Apple.
For instance, THEY claim they have the most excess cash in world history.
What are they doing with these riches?
Doubling the price of their new iPhone, to gouge struggling consumers even more.
If that were their only sin, they're super-evil. But everything else they do is super-evil. (They even stole their corporate name from the Beatles "Apple Corp" and had to pay $$$$ for their crimes.)
I was mugged because of Apple's crimes, regarding how they refuse to put kill switches in their devices, as this will stop violent crimes. (Who will steal a useless Apple product?) Many state Attorneys Generals slammed Apple for killing its customers by refusing to protects us from crime with a simple kill switch.
But if Apple did this, they'd lose another billion (from not selling new products after we're robbed). And how could a company this big possibly survive losing that billion dollars in blood money?
For instance, THEY claim they have the most excess cash in world history.
What are they doing with these riches?
Doubling the price of their new iPhone, to gouge struggling consumers even more.
If that were their only sin, they're super-evil. But everything else they do is super-evil. (They even stole their corporate name from the Beatles "Apple Corp" and had to pay $$$$ for their crimes.)
I was mugged because of Apple's crimes, regarding how they refuse to put kill switches in their devices, as this will stop violent crimes. (Who will steal a useless Apple product?) Many state Attorneys Generals slammed Apple for killing its customers by refusing to protects us from crime with a simple kill switch.
But if Apple did this, they'd lose another billion (from not selling new products after we're robbed). And how could a company this big possibly survive losing that billion dollars in blood money?
5
I have been reading some of the comments around this article and I am astonished to read how cynical and negative most comments are. This article is fairly non-controversial, it profiles a man who is one of the better and more responsible CEOs out there and who has some decent ideas to help America and Society in general and the backlash he is getting is pathetic and uncalled for. Apple is a shining light of America and I would have thought most reviews would be positive.
5
Read these three articles and then see if you still feel that Mr. Cook and Apple are honorable role models:
http://www.epi.org/publication/apple-executives-pay-foxconn-workers/
https://itep.org/tim-cooks-disingenuous-argument-to-justify-apples-215-b...
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-corrosive-impact-of-the-wealth-gap/
http://www.epi.org/publication/apple-executives-pay-foxconn-workers/
https://itep.org/tim-cooks-disingenuous-argument-to-justify-apples-215-b...
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-corrosive-impact-of-the-wealth-gap/
1
Refreshing to see how a successful businessman thinks. Too bad we don't have one of those in the WH
It's his money of course, but Tim Cook has repeatedly turned down requests from his alma mater in Robertsdale, AL for assistance. They are not looking for the world, but c'mon. He has no moral authority as far as I am concerned. I have no connections in any way to the school district. Just a friend of his dad.
1
I'm guessing there is more to the story that neither you nor I know about. Growing up gay in Alabama must have been a struggle for Tim (particularly for a man of his age). I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on how he allocates his considerable charitable giving.
1
"Barnstorms for Moral Respnsibility"
Otherwise known as AMERICA FIRST!
Helllllllllloooooooooooo!
Anybody in there, Liberals?
Otherwise known as AMERICA FIRST!
Helllllllllloooooooooooo!
Anybody in there, Liberals?
Easiest way for him to have an impact is to pay his workers more, both here and abroad.
7
Id rather that he start paying taxes on his $250 Billion offshore profit slush fund. No Tim, i cant hear you sport. My taxes are taken out IMMEDIATELY. Moral responsibility? Thats a joke right?
1
Steve Jobs built apple computers, iphone and ipad. What did Tim Cook do? He made apple go 100% renewable. Five years after Steve, there's no new industry changing product in horizon and this is lauded as an accomplishment. Funny how anyone who is willing to criticize the President can get away with incompetence.
4
This article is misleading the readers on how much taxes Apple pays. Factually it is not wrong but it is cherry picking the facts in a way that makes it look like Apple is paying a high rate.
If you take the cash they actually paid for all taxes (reported at the bottom of the cash flow statement), then divide that by Income before provision for income taxes (reported on the income statement) you will see they actually paid an average rate of 18%, not 26%. If you divide cash taxes paid by cash generated by operating activities the rate is only 16%.
I'm getting this directly from Apple's financial statements in their annual report. You can look it up yourself.
If you take the cash they actually paid for all taxes (reported at the bottom of the cash flow statement), then divide that by Income before provision for income taxes (reported on the income statement) you will see they actually paid an average rate of 18%, not 26%. If you divide cash taxes paid by cash generated by operating activities the rate is only 16%.
I'm getting this directly from Apple's financial statements in their annual report. You can look it up yourself.
4
Investing in American production facilities, investing in renewable energy, these are the sorts of things that leading American corporations need to be doing. Apple may not have a perfect score on social responsibility, but these are the sorts of things more CEOs need to start saying and doing. Let's be positive about this.
2
First, how about *not* aiding/abetting Chinese censorship efforts by deleting apps from the Apple store??
Second, how about paying taxes, pick your country of choice?
Fine, spend relatively trivial amount of monies (in the scheme of Apple profits) on "other people's problems" while not doing anything that might truly have a price, such as standing up to (and even being shut out of) the Chinese market, or, paying taxes that would more than cover your "donation" to US manufacturing?
Second, how about paying taxes, pick your country of choice?
Fine, spend relatively trivial amount of monies (in the scheme of Apple profits) on "other people's problems" while not doing anything that might truly have a price, such as standing up to (and even being shut out of) the Chinese market, or, paying taxes that would more than cover your "donation" to US manufacturing?
5
Mr. Cook faces the great challenge of applying "moral responsibility" in the context of the atheistic, amoral relativism, autonomous human, secular religion of the radical, alt-Left, anti-American, socialists. I fear that what he really means is that he's fully committed to evangelizing for secular humanism and making relativistic amorality the Orwellian newspeak exclusive "morality" of American culture.
1
Gosh, if he is a Humanist, I hope he comes out with it. That would be awesome if he inspired others to be more free thinking.
1
If corporations want to do good they should
-care more about their workers by not outsourcing jobs
-care more about their customers by not having unrealistic terms and conditions when agreeing to use a product (including having to agree to arbitration)
-care more about their community by paying their fare share of taxes
not just care about their bottom line and stock price.
-care more about their workers by not outsourcing jobs
-care more about their customers by not having unrealistic terms and conditions when agreeing to use a product (including having to agree to arbitration)
-care more about their community by paying their fare share of taxes
not just care about their bottom line and stock price.
9
It will be the moral responsibility of Americans to pay the increased cost of manufacturing in this country - without complaint. The Walmarts and Big Box stores thrive because people wanted cheap. I buy American ninety percent of the time - and buy less.I commend Mr. Cook and Apple - all renewable energy. Perhaps the lower cost of energy will offset increased labor costs.
5
Well, he could start with philanthropy. Apple is notoriously tight fisted, especially considering the hundred of billions it has in its coffers, most of it literally in cash.
4
He's referring to Shareholder Value Theory and his implicit rejection of it, along with the better CEO's. That's why he points out that many also embrace the theory, despite that it's genesis was an NYT opinion piece by Milton Friedman, in 1970, urging GM to ignore calls for "social responsibility." The "reformers" -- that Friedman raved against -- wanted GM to build safer more reliable cars that polluted less. For some reason Friedman ranted and raved ignoring them would raise GM's share price which it did not: it surrendered the car market to the Japanese. I'm surprised that Andrew Ross Sorkin didn't catch Cook's repeated references to SVT.
1
You have to love this stuff. The cognitive dissonance on display here regarding moral responsibility is profound.
My favorite is that Apple wants community college students to pay money to learn to write iPhone apps. Great! They get to pay to learn a skill that will allow them to work for Apple for free until --- and unless --- royalties come in. But it's all good because...diversity.
My favorite is that Apple wants community college students to pay money to learn to write iPhone apps. Great! They get to pay to learn a skill that will allow them to work for Apple for free until --- and unless --- royalties come in. But it's all good because...diversity.
7
I'll be impressed when Mr. Cook's generosity addresses the plight of the inner cities. Of course, that wouldn't yield more I-Phone programmers.
That's funny!
No American corporation is more closely aligned with the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese dictator Chairman Xi than is Apple Corporation. Where's Cook's "moral responsibility?"
In fact, the goal of almost all personal technology, including the I Phone, is to make people stupider and lazier and, therefore, easier to manipulate. I'm always amazed that these people are considered to be our "visionaries." Most people I know who use I Phones are addicted to them, as much as drug addicts are addicted to crack, meth or heroin. Like drugs, these addicts are usually totally disconnected from the real world around them.
No American corporation is more closely aligned with the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese dictator Chairman Xi than is Apple Corporation. Where's Cook's "moral responsibility?"
In fact, the goal of almost all personal technology, including the I Phone, is to make people stupider and lazier and, therefore, easier to manipulate. I'm always amazed that these people are considered to be our "visionaries." Most people I know who use I Phones are addicted to them, as much as drug addicts are addicted to crack, meth or heroin. Like drugs, these addicts are usually totally disconnected from the real world around them.
3
Interesting that the article failed to at least ask the question as to what Apple's moral responsibility is to assist the Chinese government in the limiting of its citizens access to the internet (Apple Removes Apps From China Store That Help Internet Users ... https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/29/technology/china-apple-censorhip.html)
It is easy to talk about "moral responsibility" if it doesn't cost you a lot of money.
It is easy to talk about "moral responsibility" if it doesn't cost you a lot of money.
1
Why yes LBJ created a lot of new programs that the middle class is struggling to pay for today. I'm sure he can think of a lot of things government can do for us. Just like our existing politicians, he wants to spend our money on our behalf on things he thinks should be done. We've had 60 years of that and look where we are.
2
Perhaps if Mr. Cook paid Apple's taxes instead of shipping their profits overseas I'd be much more willing to listen to him about "moral responsibility'.
4
Change the tax code. What company is going to voluntarily pay more taxes than the code requires?
1
This is no different than NSA tool Mark Zuckerberg's listening tour, vampire squid Lloyd Blankfein's empathetic anti-Trump calls for us all getting along, and non-prosecuting Eric Holder and Preet Bharara's frequent justice-for-all tweeting, to cite but a few recent examples. Tim Cook himself is our reigning world champion double-Irish Dutch sandwich tax evader. These are not friends of the people, people.
No, these are all sociopaths or worse, who know they are gold-star members of the predator class, and who also understand that the water is rising. This is merely a new front in their long war to keep the righteous public at bay and exploitable.
No, these are all sociopaths or worse, who know they are gold-star members of the predator class, and who also understand that the water is rising. This is merely a new front in their long war to keep the righteous public at bay and exploitable.
3
Meanwhile Apple is building a new data center in Iowa. They're taking $200 million in tax breaks--in a state that has a huge budget shortfall, which means cuts for education, health care (especially mental health care), workers compensation, and public workers salaries. How many people will this data center employ? Fifty.
The "moral responsibility" here seems clear--and Apple's not displaying any.
The "moral responsibility" here seems clear--and Apple's not displaying any.
6
Not to conflate about three things at once (North Korea, Harvey, and i-Phone technology), but Cook and Apple should make an i-Phone app that, coupled with a GPS (they're built in to an i-Phone) can, when coupled with North Korean like obedience to central authority, evacuate seemlessly a city the size of Houston when a hurricane like Harvey strikes.
It is a complex project, but the beauty of it is you could start with a small town comprised of a majority (all hopefully) who are willing to do evacuation drills on demand. The small model having been evolved successfully, scale is ramped up and viola you have a complex interface of technology and local government; think sheriffs monitoring highway entrances of scheduled cars.
This type of complex system evolution could lead eventually to the design of cities and solutions of many modern problems: healthcare and education come quickly to mind. But it takes a population wanting to find optimal solutions and being willing to really think about things in the long, long term: like human kind as a species that needs to fully utilize reason and technology not for profit but in order to live.
Currently, predation of humans by humans is the driver of our economy. People grind their lives away with cruel, unscrupulous, and unknown task masters hidden somewhere at the other end of 800 numbers. Why can't we do better? Revolution is the answer: we need sacrifices of personal pleasure for later generations or inspired leaders like me.
It is a complex project, but the beauty of it is you could start with a small town comprised of a majority (all hopefully) who are willing to do evacuation drills on demand. The small model having been evolved successfully, scale is ramped up and viola you have a complex interface of technology and local government; think sheriffs monitoring highway entrances of scheduled cars.
This type of complex system evolution could lead eventually to the design of cities and solutions of many modern problems: healthcare and education come quickly to mind. But it takes a population wanting to find optimal solutions and being willing to really think about things in the long, long term: like human kind as a species that needs to fully utilize reason and technology not for profit but in order to live.
Currently, predation of humans by humans is the driver of our economy. People grind their lives away with cruel, unscrupulous, and unknown task masters hidden somewhere at the other end of 800 numbers. Why can't we do better? Revolution is the answer: we need sacrifices of personal pleasure for later generations or inspired leaders like me.
I would rather see Tim Cook focus his attention on restoring Apple customer service to its glory days and ways to make Apple products magic again, versus the uncaring, difficult to deal with IBM/Microsoft-like behemoth they have turned into. His opening quote in the article could have just as easily said: “The reality is that Apple, for a long period of time, has for whatever set of reasons become less functional and isn’t working at the speed that it once was. And so it does fall, I think, not just on Apple, but on all other competitors to step up.”
2
Could the problem be that corporations/wealthy white men have worked hard to not pay taxes, so the government is starved for funds? Hmmm?
Fund things properly, spread out that wealth some, and see things do better. You know, like they did when taxes were higher and there weren't as many loopholes for the wealthy to through their money through.
Fund things properly, spread out that wealth some, and see things do better. You know, like they did when taxes were higher and there weren't as many loopholes for the wealthy to through their money through.
4
It is, of course, nice to hear big corporation CEOs talk about moral responsibility of the joints they run and I don't want to be harsh but does Mr. Cook intend to cut down on Apple's tax avoidance schemes that reduces Apple's corporate tax? It seems to me that Apple still is one of the corporations that pays a lot of Federal Income Tax only means Apples has not manage to totally avoid paying them.
Who was the one who first said words are cheap? And apparently words don't pay any taxes either.
Who was the one who first said words are cheap? And apparently words don't pay any taxes either.
1
Very nice of Mr Cook . Place Import Tax on all
Products made abroad .
Also I wonder if Mr Cook would be building
And investing in America if it was not for President Trumps.
From a Liberal Democratic that voted for Trump.
Products made abroad .
Also I wonder if Mr Cook would be building
And investing in America if it was not for President Trumps.
From a Liberal Democratic that voted for Trump.
2
"From a Liberal Democratic that voted for Trump."
So many troll tells. And Russian? "democratic"
"are you a registered voter?"
"Yes. I am a Liberal Democratic."
Hehehehehe.
So many troll tells. And Russian? "democratic"
"are you a registered voter?"
"Yes. I am a Liberal Democratic."
Hehehehehe.
1
Tim Cook can "fill the gap" by repatriating back to the US the $240 Billion Apple has stashed overseas.
10
Feeling munificent? Drop your prices.
9
Wow! What a great idea! Maybe have Wells Fargo or Goldman Sachs fill the gaps with their excellent record of helping others and not themselves. Too bad Enron and World Com are no longer around to help out as well.
3
"Let a billion apps bloom"
Tim Cook Un
Tim Cook Un
2
"Regardless of your politics,” he continued, “you look at it and say, ‘My gosh.’”
Mr. Cook, I don't think Republicans say that. For the last 37 years they have been trying to undo LBJ's tremendous legacy.
Mr. Cook, I don't think Republicans say that. For the last 37 years they have been trying to undo LBJ's tremendous legacy.
2
Tim Cook appears to be physically anorexic, ethically anorexic, morally anorexic, and, if you are a user of MacBooks, technically anorexic. Timmy, get out of the billion dollar spaceship headquarters, park the corporate jets, forego the luxury suites and leave your distorted and delusional reality in the dumpster.
From Apple's overseas contractor slave shops, where suicides were too frequent, to their capitulation to China;s dictators, to the relatively low wages of Apple's highly profitable store sales employees who barely make the hourly wage now proposed for fast food workers, to their tax shenanigans, Tim Cook stinks of hypocrisy and I, for one, am sick of hearing from him and his ilk.
From Apple's overseas contractor slave shops, where suicides were too frequent, to their capitulation to China;s dictators, to the relatively low wages of Apple's highly profitable store sales employees who barely make the hourly wage now proposed for fast food workers, to their tax shenanigans, Tim Cook stinks of hypocrisy and I, for one, am sick of hearing from him and his ilk.
11
Yes, but I'll bet you have an iPhone.
1
I guess nobody is more important than a wealthy capitalist salesman. The NYT doesn't know who it is any more - race-based politics, hyping businessmen, etc. Who gave Apple permission to censor my texts, delete all four letter words, etc? And, if Tim has any IT knowledge, why is voice recognition and even texting autocorrect still the meme of jokes? These products don't work and haven't improved in decades. Tim stalled release of the new MBP for two years as he tried to create a new battery, but failed and released the machine with an old battery, and a gimmicky touch bar and lousy keyboard. It's the worst iteration of the MBP ever - but the NYTimes reporters are as impressed by and focused on money and name recognition as anybody, and it's apparently all they care about.
3
So I'm to be judged :morally responsible" ---or not--- by Tim Cook and Apple Corp.? This is a joke, right?
9
This is the same guy who fought to refuse letting his phones be cracked open by the FBI, even though terrorists are using them to plan their killings using encrypted messaging apps.
I'll listen about morality from moral people. Right now the only one I can think of is Jimmy Carter. There must be others....give me a minute....this list is getting a lot harder to come up with these days.
I'll listen about morality from moral people. Right now the only one I can think of is Jimmy Carter. There must be others....give me a minute....this list is getting a lot harder to come up with these days.
22
the privacy he was protecting was ours
2
I don't want the government - particularly THIS government - to have access to my phone.
Lot of cool apps out there. Funny thing is that every time I try to add one, I get a dialog box asking me to allow permission for the app to access my contacts, photos, stored files, e-mails, searches, messages, location and more personal data, mostly or completely unecessary to run the app.
So naturally I hit "decline".
When I ask others about this, I get some form of "whatever". But then I also get messages from their phones that I know they didn't send, with a helpful "link" to some hacking site. And they tell me their credit card issuer is replacing their cards several times a year. Gee, I wonder why?
If this is the "morality" they are facilitating in coding classes, then I'll pass, thanks.
I know people around here in "Cloud Data Land" in the Seattle area who are knowledgeable about the on-line world because they helped create it. Some of them are so concerned about this kind of pervasive, organized privacy invasion that they are participating in groups of tech workers that are planning how to go "dark" to protect themselves. And these are very normal people not otherwise prone to conspiracy theories.
Something to think about before you click on "accept".
So naturally I hit "decline".
When I ask others about this, I get some form of "whatever". But then I also get messages from their phones that I know they didn't send, with a helpful "link" to some hacking site. And they tell me their credit card issuer is replacing their cards several times a year. Gee, I wonder why?
If this is the "morality" they are facilitating in coding classes, then I'll pass, thanks.
I know people around here in "Cloud Data Land" in the Seattle area who are knowledgeable about the on-line world because they helped create it. Some of them are so concerned about this kind of pervasive, organized privacy invasion that they are participating in groups of tech workers that are planning how to go "dark" to protect themselves. And these are very normal people not otherwise prone to conspiracy theories.
Something to think about before you click on "accept".
4
Those requests for personal data come from the developers of the applications, not from Apple. It is to Apple's credit that they're forced to ask you for those permissions, rather than just getting access to those data without your knowledge.
2
I commend any business person who can look towards social good while taking criticisms. As capitalism binds business leaders to its shareholder interests, it unfortunately gives a hideaway for business leaders, to turn a blind eye on social injustice. The root cause of the wealth inequality is the fixed pattern of rich get richer while the poor stay poor. Why is it fixed? Because many wealthy families pass on their wealth in the form of inheritance. Originally, capitalism is a system which seeks to reward those who work hard. However, capitalism of today very often rewards those who are less productive as long as their parents are wealthy. On the contrary, children of the less fortunate families can only hope to inherit something let alone be left behind a heavy debt burden. Fixed pattern of poor stay poor is so rigid that most children of less fortunate families can’t dig themselves out of the hole, a clear display of capitalism failing to live up to its original promises. When any person commits to remedy and advance capitalism to achieve its original intent even by giving away all of one's wealth, that shows great "moral consciousness."
Come on we don't need a billionaire Democrat talk about moral responsibility. Most Dems don't believe in morals nor personal responsibility. IN fact Apple was one of the first "American" companies that went overseas to obtain slave labor from China. This allowed Apple to become the most profitable business. There was no morality in dumping American workers and changing to slave labor. Time for these people to stop lecturing or moralizing.
3
Interesting idea. Somehow I get the idea from the article that Cook believes that technology can be used to moralize a world. As the world moves ever so further into a technology age there is some truth in the fact that the way the American democracy works is no longer based upon what it was founded. The US is no longer the United States of America but a part of the United Corporations of the World. Some people like Mr Cook who I assume is an American citizen although I don't really know, belongs to this so called United World of Corporations like a few other Americans. One of which is our current President. I find it interesting how Mr Trump who seems to understand the issues behind the financial problems of the US which has lead to a reduced standard of living for most Americans doesn't publicly acknowledge how it got where it and the biggest reason it can't get better. As long as the American government is bought and paid for by world corporations, it isn't going to get any better for Americans. Money corrupts most people including those with intentions of good morals. Mr Trump and Mr Cook included. As Mr Cook probably has probably contemplated, the American way of government may have run it's course and no longer represents a government of and for people but one of world corporations. Where greed and corruption are paramount to everything else. As Mr Trump is learning, it isn't easy to take America back, unless Americans embrace a government which puts Americans first under the new world order, things aren't going to change. Americans need to get rid of the corporate influence and corruption in American government if they want things to get better. Morals aside, Mr Trump and Mr Cook should take notice.
1
''Moral responsibility'' would be contributing to the country that made you great and to the infrastructure of said country, and not through tax inversions to escape that responsibility.
''Moral responsibility'' would be to ensure that every single worker that works for your company, OR every single worker that works for the company that works for your company is properly treated, safe and receiving a fair wage.
That is not the case, which is why I have never bought a single Apple product, and probably never will.
''Moral responsibility'' would be to ensure that every single worker that works for your company, OR every single worker that works for the company that works for your company is properly treated, safe and receiving a fair wage.
That is not the case, which is why I have never bought a single Apple product, and probably never will.
10
Oh, please. Tim Cook is a capitalist intent on profit. He spent last week here in Iowa wandering around without a sport coat, always in front of a camera, blah blah blaming about this and that social and cultural phenomenon. Then made a deal with the Iowa Governor and the small town of Waukee, Iowa to give Apple $208 million in tax breaks that no one can afford in order to build a server farm which will provide 50 full-time jobs. Such a deal. Caveat emptor, baby.
14
Apple or its CEO talking about moral responsibility is a joke. Apple offshored its design patents to Ireland, so that Apple USA handsomely compensates Apple Ireland for the designs, because the phones are beautiful and their designs cost a fortune. This way Apple USA makes no profit and all of the profits are transferred to a lovely island where we sell little hardware but they charge us no taxes. So please pay something to the US Treasury before you use the word "moral," thank you.
38
It is certainly "not an accident that a well formed society has different sectors." Not when one considers the investment in lobbying that the business sector expends to maintain the status quo of "profit regardless." The apologists for legal corruption are quite slick when it comes to citing the rules of business conduct, as if they were handed down from on high. Atlas can only shrug so much before the consequences become expository.
4
Check out the Edelman Trust Barometer for 2017. Business gets a bit more respect and credibility than other sectors at this point. And business leaders are able and, some would say, advised to take the lead on the issue of trust. How long they can and if they can and will is another issue. God knows we're all looking for someone, something to trust. Or, we have. I hate to think we can no longer trust anything or anyone.
Yes, if there's one thing history has taught us it's that wealthy and powerful people and their business interests can reliably be counted upon to do the right thing.....
Unfortunately this seems to be where things are headed--one more step toward disassembling democracy. Unelected, operating in secrecy, with unparalleled historical power and wealth, the greatest contributors to inequality on earth, horders of unimaginable offshore assets, controllers of information and arbiters of taste and knowledge. These are the new moral leaders--the ones who will have more political power than the voters themselves. The market finally really rules. All Praise to Pichai and Bezos and Cook!
7
VERY scary, and VERY true!!
2
If equality is your top goal, then go to Venezuela where all are equally hungry and without toilet paper. Enjoy your nobility in poverty.
It is not an accident that a well-formed society has different sectors. While all sectors can do "good," it is not appropriate to expect or exercise the same level or type of philosophical analysis in each sector. The philosophical thought of government, journalism and religion is not that of business.
Corporations are required to follow the law and seek a profitable return for investors, owners, and workers. A CEO who breaks the law or sacrifice profits in accord with his or her morality is, in both cases, not performing his or her responsibility.
There is indeed no such thing as a moral company. That is not to say that a company cannot accomplish "good" or that a company cannot break the law or seek ill-gotten profits. However, morality requires a level of free choice particular to the individual. It requires the ability to sacrifice for a higher good.
There is the game theory and forms of competition that harm companies in the long-term, etc. However, strategies are not moral decisions. Putting off profits today for RD or acting environmentally are not moral acts--they are simply either good or bad business decisions.
Mr. Sorkin's comment that Mr. Cook's feel-good country tour could be all PR may be too narrow a description. But, it is certainly all just business for a man who leads a company that would like us not to question its leaving $200 billion in profits in Ireland (some of which is certainly earning interest on US bonds paid for by the tax payer).
Corporations are required to follow the law and seek a profitable return for investors, owners, and workers. A CEO who breaks the law or sacrifice profits in accord with his or her morality is, in both cases, not performing his or her responsibility.
There is indeed no such thing as a moral company. That is not to say that a company cannot accomplish "good" or that a company cannot break the law or seek ill-gotten profits. However, morality requires a level of free choice particular to the individual. It requires the ability to sacrifice for a higher good.
There is the game theory and forms of competition that harm companies in the long-term, etc. However, strategies are not moral decisions. Putting off profits today for RD or acting environmentally are not moral acts--they are simply either good or bad business decisions.
Mr. Sorkin's comment that Mr. Cook's feel-good country tour could be all PR may be too narrow a description. But, it is certainly all just business for a man who leads a company that would like us not to question its leaving $200 billion in profits in Ireland (some of which is certainly earning interest on US bonds paid for by the tax payer).
14
Is closing your hardware, operating system, and software to all your competitors so that you can maintain artificially high prices ethical or even moral ?
5
Except, your assertions are wrong.
Anyone is free to write apps for iOS and for macOS. And for Macs, nobody is forced to put their products into the Mac App Store.
As for closed hardware, Android hardware too is closed.
So, try again.
Anyone is free to write apps for iOS and for macOS. And for Macs, nobody is forced to put their products into the Mac App Store.
As for closed hardware, Android hardware too is closed.
So, try again.
If you want to be believed, give away your millions.
Stop using slave labor to assemble your products in China
Reduce your profit margin and manufacture in the U.S.
Until then you are a hypocrite and a liar.
Stop using slave labor to assemble your products in China
Reduce your profit margin and manufacture in the U.S.
Until then you are a hypocrite and a liar.
8
Is there an app for that? iMoral iResponsibility?
I really hope this is genuine, we've been fleeced too much recently with false decency.
I really hope this is genuine, we've been fleeced too much recently with false decency.
2
Just make good products. I don't want companies moralizing, because my morals maybe different from yours.
11
Ya think? Apple is a bigger censor than the US Gov or anyone. Ever try writing a four letter word on you iPhone? Tim Cook won't let you. And you'll get plenty of "bit"s instead of "but"s, as the dictionary is geared toward ten year olds and IT people. Tim is a salesman who only sees the bottom line, but the media types eat up every word he says and promote every pitch he makes, as there's nobody more insightful than a semi-successful capitalist/salesman running another guy's company (into the ground)....
1
The guy who chose to use the San Bernardino murders as an opportunity for some pointless grandstanding? Barnstorming for idiots, or for amoral self-enrichment, well sure. But Tim Cook barnstorming "for" moral responsibility makes no sense.
(After listening to Mr. Cook drone on about setting an example, I am glad the FBI was able to find somebody else to unlock their iPhone without too much trouble)
(After listening to Mr. Cook drone on about setting an example, I am glad the FBI was able to find somebody else to unlock their iPhone without too much trouble)
1
What about if it was _your_ iPhone?
What if it wasn't the government (who would never ever do anything wrong), but instead a hacker who easily got into your phone? Because if the government has a back door into your phone, that back door _will_ be found by hackers.
What if it wasn't the government (who would never ever do anything wrong), but instead a hacker who easily got into your phone? Because if the government has a back door into your phone, that back door _will_ be found by hackers.
OK, fill those gaps by paying your taxes, Apple, and supporting politicians who are dedicated to reducing inequality. Easy.
Insert cricket noises here.
Insert cricket noises here.
8
I was mugged and had my life DESTROYED because Apple deliberately continues to help violent criminals rob APPLE customers.
(State AGs even begged Apple to put kill switches into their products so no criminal has ANY MOTIVE to steal, as the stolen product quickly becomes a paperweight. You could literally JAIL Tim Cook for this alone.)
(State AGs even begged Apple to put kill switches into their products so no criminal has ANY MOTIVE to steal, as the stolen product quickly becomes a paperweight. You could literally JAIL Tim Cook for this alone.)
A lifetime of experience has taught me that self righteous people, such as Tim Cook, are liars, cheats and thieves.
4
H-1-B, Foxxconn, hidden assets.
The dude has 'hating Americans' down pat.
The dude has 'hating Americans' down pat.
6
No mention of Chinese censorship across apps vended by Apple?
2
Who is Cook to tell me what is "moral". Is he our new moral arbiter?
3
If Apple really wanted to support gender diversity they would have included a Child Care Center in their new $5 BILLION dollar headquarters
2
Such a hollow, shallow shell of a man compared to his predecessor. Steve Jobs was a genius; Tim Cook is an uninspiring bean counter.
3
How about lowering the costs of Apple products!
2
Cook lectures Red States on "bigotry", while happily selling millions of Apple products in countries where homosexuality gets you the death penalty. Both Apple and Google are busy shutting down domestic political opponents in tech (keeping Gab out of their app stores, for instance), while happily kowtowing to whatever demands the Communist government makes to stay in the Chinese market. In short, these so-called tech titans are raging hypocrites.
7
Moral responsibility of Apple to provide jobs in the US - not to outsource to China, to a company that had to put up suicide nets at its factory to prevent workers from jumping to their deaths.
The market price for a 32GB iPhone 7 is $649, yet the phone costs Apple just $225 to build [1] . It could well afford to produce in the US, but prefers hoard a cash pile. In May 2017, it hit 257 billions [2]
The moral blindness of Mr. Cook is amazing. Start at home
Realize, that outsourcing brought us Trump.
[1] http://time.com/money/4508221/iphone-7-mark-up-profit-margins/
[2] https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/02/apples-cash-hoard-swells-to-record-256-8...
The market price for a 32GB iPhone 7 is $649, yet the phone costs Apple just $225 to build [1] . It could well afford to produce in the US, but prefers hoard a cash pile. In May 2017, it hit 257 billions [2]
The moral blindness of Mr. Cook is amazing. Start at home
Realize, that outsourcing brought us Trump.
[1] http://time.com/money/4508221/iphone-7-mark-up-profit-margins/
[2] https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/02/apples-cash-hoard-swells-to-record-256-8...
53
Garhard, I couldn't agree with you more. Apple should build all their products in the USA!!!
"The market price for a 32GB iPhone 7 is $649, yet the phone costs Apple just $225 to build."
OK, since you have no idea how consumer products are priced, maybe you shouldn't say anything.
The bill-of-materials cost of the phone you mention is 35% of the retail price. The difference between the selling price and the BOM price isn't the profit. Out of that difference, you pay for overhead -- salaries and benefits for employees, buildings, utilities, everything needed to run a business.
And since the majority of their products are sold through independent retailers, those retailers take a chunk of the selling price, too. So figure the wholesale price to retailers is twice the BOM cost, or $450. Out of the $200 between retail and wholesale price, the retailers need to pay their overhead too, and even make a profit.
It might surprise you to learn that a BOM cost that is 35% of retail is actually _expensive_. (Read the electronics business trade press; they do teardowns and discussions of these products and they are all saying that they're expensive to make compared with Asian brands.)
OK, since you have no idea how consumer products are priced, maybe you shouldn't say anything.
The bill-of-materials cost of the phone you mention is 35% of the retail price. The difference between the selling price and the BOM price isn't the profit. Out of that difference, you pay for overhead -- salaries and benefits for employees, buildings, utilities, everything needed to run a business.
And since the majority of their products are sold through independent retailers, those retailers take a chunk of the selling price, too. So figure the wholesale price to retailers is twice the BOM cost, or $450. Out of the $200 between retail and wholesale price, the retailers need to pay their overhead too, and even make a profit.
It might surprise you to learn that a BOM cost that is 35% of retail is actually _expensive_. (Read the electronics business trade press; they do teardowns and discussions of these products and they are all saying that they're expensive to make compared with Asian brands.)
Apple made $47 billion profit last year. How about they bring 100% of their manufacturing back to the USA and make only $45 or $46 billion profit? Can Tim Cook and Apple's shareholders live with that?
3
"...“The reality is that government, for a long period of time, has for whatever set of reasons become less functional and isn’t working at the speed that it once was. ..." ????
It is the nature of government to be slow, ineffective, corrupt, wasteful and counter productive, and the bigger it gets, the worse it gets. This is a fact of history, and so our government was founded on the principle of LIMITED government, with a small federal government and powers delegated to the people and the states. Now, the GAO recently reported that the federal government can't account for 1/3 of its assets! Imagine such a thing, all the money, all the waste and corruption. The stories are endless (speaking from experience). And we have $20 trillion in debt. Long ago the federal government stole all the social security assets. They are held to know standards of accountability. The non productive federal bureaucracy is the problem, and Cook is just realizing this?
It is the nature of government to be slow, ineffective, corrupt, wasteful and counter productive, and the bigger it gets, the worse it gets. This is a fact of history, and so our government was founded on the principle of LIMITED government, with a small federal government and powers delegated to the people and the states. Now, the GAO recently reported that the federal government can't account for 1/3 of its assets! Imagine such a thing, all the money, all the waste and corruption. The stories are endless (speaking from experience). And we have $20 trillion in debt. Long ago the federal government stole all the social security assets. They are held to know standards of accountability. The non productive federal bureaucracy is the problem, and Cook is just realizing this?
1
It would be nice to see rich folks again take their civic responsibility seriously. Public libraries all over the country are named for Carnegie. Opera houses in the west were funded by mining fortunes. Beautiful public parks were laid out by the best designers.
The Trump example of making cash off of the old post office in DC and strip mining the taxpayers to pay for loopholes and bankruptcies isn't exactly inspirational.
The Trump example of making cash off of the old post office in DC and strip mining the taxpayers to pay for loopholes and bankruptcies isn't exactly inspirational.
4
Obama and Congress raised the debt from 10 to 19T in 8 years thanks to your voting, and mine. You, and I, are on the hook for $33k per capita in debt.
2
I wish they had given the names of the community colleges in Pennsylvania. I know a number of young kids who would really thrive doing that curriculum.
2
"The reality is that government, for a long period of time, has for whatever set of reasons become less functional and isn't working at the speed that it once was. And so it does fall, I think, not just on business but on all other areas of society to step up."
I can think of one reason. Multinational corporations, for a long period of time, lobbying our federal and state government for tax breaks and tax loopholes to the tune of $2,600,000,000,000 in corporate profits sitting on the books of foreign subsidiaries owned by US based multinationals. Sure government is less functional with less revenues to function. With 40% of $2.6 trillion (35% to federal, 5% to state governments), think what more our government could do instead of hoping for the largesse of wealthy CEO's to step up.
I can think of one reason. Multinational corporations, for a long period of time, lobbying our federal and state government for tax breaks and tax loopholes to the tune of $2,600,000,000,000 in corporate profits sitting on the books of foreign subsidiaries owned by US based multinationals. Sure government is less functional with less revenues to function. With 40% of $2.6 trillion (35% to federal, 5% to state governments), think what more our government could do instead of hoping for the largesse of wealthy CEO's to step up.
20
You nailed it. While the tax rates for average citizens have gone up, America's top companies have paid little to no taxes. The Government Accountability Office found that two-thirds of active corporations paid no federal tax. Even large profitable corporations paid an average federal rate of only 14 percent — and Boeing, Verizon, General Electric and Priceline paid no federal income tax over a five-year period, according to Citizens for Tax Justice. In essence, individual taxpayers are showing up and paying the corporate welfare tab for companies like Apple.
Mr. Cook can start by stopping tax evasion by Apple. He calls himself a "libertarian" who wants "limited government". Actually he and his brethren are selfish, spoiled socially unconscious people who want no controls on them and no responsibility to the greater good.
Sorry, Mr. Cook, America does not work that way. Pay your taxes - your full share - to play. Otherwise Apple would be an excellent company to turn into a true employee-owned entity where every employee shares equitably in responsibility and profit. No outside "investors" to skim off the profits and benefits. These would be companies that actually served their communities. Of course, we would also nationalize all utilities and use any profits to pay for healthcare for ALL Americans.
That sounds like MY kind of world and it's not the 5th/15th century model of kings, their handmaidens, robber baron knights to enforce their greed and peons that the financial elite like Mr. Cook envision.
Sorry, Mr. Cook, America does not work that way. Pay your taxes - your full share - to play. Otherwise Apple would be an excellent company to turn into a true employee-owned entity where every employee shares equitably in responsibility and profit. No outside "investors" to skim off the profits and benefits. These would be companies that actually served their communities. Of course, we would also nationalize all utilities and use any profits to pay for healthcare for ALL Americans.
That sounds like MY kind of world and it's not the 5th/15th century model of kings, their handmaidens, robber baron knights to enforce their greed and peons that the financial elite like Mr. Cook envision.
30
Time Cook is the head of a fashion house which poses as a technology company. It sells pretty plastic packages at very high prices, and historically its propaganda probably delayed the adoption of the personal computer by a decade.
Apple's lays claim to the faux-humble tale of back-garage invention. The fact is they started out copying popular little gadgets for stealing from the phone company and segued through into "adopting" the ideas of others -- Xerox Palo Alto, "Doctor Dobbs," and many others. Some of these adoptions they held onto through miracles of aggressive courtroom action which left the world swooning in admiration at their creativity. Such creativity has not, however, been seen in the stuff they sell.
This is a guy who's going to lecture the world on morality?
Apple's lays claim to the faux-humble tale of back-garage invention. The fact is they started out copying popular little gadgets for stealing from the phone company and segued through into "adopting" the ideas of others -- Xerox Palo Alto, "Doctor Dobbs," and many others. Some of these adoptions they held onto through miracles of aggressive courtroom action which left the world swooning in admiration at their creativity. Such creativity has not, however, been seen in the stuff they sell.
This is a guy who's going to lecture the world on morality?
9
Correction: "Apple lays claim to..."
Why can't The Times have a five-minute editing window of opportunity the same way most newspapers do?
Why can't The Times have a five-minute editing window of opportunity the same way most newspapers do?
Apple did not delay the adoption of the personal computer.
That is just silly.
That is just silly.
" Such creativity has not, however, been seen in the stuff they sell."
Remember what smartphones looked like before the iPhone. You had Blackberry, you had Palm, you had Symbian-based devices, all with radically difference user interfaces and software design.
And then the iPhone was introduced, and in no time, every smartphone looked like the iPhone. Who was copying whom?
Remember what smartphones looked like before the iPhone. You had Blackberry, you had Palm, you had Symbian-based devices, all with radically difference user interfaces and software design.
And then the iPhone was introduced, and in no time, every smartphone looked like the iPhone. Who was copying whom?
1
Mr. Cook's intention to " ... contribute to this country and to other countries that we do business in ..." is laudable. But I wonder if his idea of moral responsibility includes significant bettering of the working conditions of those who manufacture Apple products overseas. I would have appreciated him talking about a meaningful Apple campaign to eliminate worker exposure to toxins in their supplier factories, as well as third party factory inspections to ensure not only safe working conditions but reasonable hours and pay. There's information about Apple's efforts in this regard if you dig deep down in their website, but it's impossible to say whether they're making a significant attempt. It would be nice to buy an Apple product assured that no worker has had their health impaired for my convenience.
15
Here's how companies could start acting with moral responsibility: pay their fair share of taxes and recognize and support their workers' unions. Instead, we have a race to the bottom where communities and even whole nations try to lure corporations with *lower* taxes and *cheaper,* unorganized labor.
Another idea if corporations want to create a more moral world: get your money out of political campaigns.
But of course corporations are legally compelled to ruthlessly pursue their bottom line. So none of the above will happen until they're compelled to do so by government. And around and around we go.
Another idea if corporations want to create a more moral world: get your money out of political campaigns.
But of course corporations are legally compelled to ruthlessly pursue their bottom line. So none of the above will happen until they're compelled to do so by government. And around and around we go.
10
So the man who runs the world's most successful capitalist company is confused as to why government doesn't work. Allow me to enlighten him: Government doesn't work because it doesn't have to. It can't be fired for poor performance. When it runs out of money, it just steals more. It doesn't care if the customer is unhappy. It doesn't actually produce anything. And whatever the undertaking, it makes sure that it is done in the most inefficient, money wasting process possible.
3
Corporations, now that they own the politicians of both parties, are not even trying to hide anymore how they have rigged the system in their favor, where they do not pay taxes.
Wealth inequality is at an all time high. Most people are living paycheck to paycheck. Apple while doing many positive things for our economy, is still part of the problem by not paying their fair share of taxes. Also they could do much more to provide manufacturing jobs, here in the USA - hopefully not without the lifetime tax breaks of locating factories here. How can local communities provide for their citizens without corporation paying their fair share.
Back in Lyndon Johnson’s day corporations mostly paid their fair share. Now they own the system.
Wealth inequality is at an all time high. Most people are living paycheck to paycheck. Apple while doing many positive things for our economy, is still part of the problem by not paying their fair share of taxes. Also they could do much more to provide manufacturing jobs, here in the USA - hopefully not without the lifetime tax breaks of locating factories here. How can local communities provide for their citizens without corporation paying their fair share.
Back in Lyndon Johnson’s day corporations mostly paid their fair share. Now they own the system.
8
Good on Tim Cook for seeking to address larger societal problems. But don't pin all the problems on Washington, though it certainly deserves much blame. We should not automatically look to government--especially the federal gov't--to solve all our ills. Its on people and private institutions, as well as more local gov't to do what's right within their own sphere before looking elsewhere for help.
1
The problems we see today are largely due to people demanding their "rights" but not taking the responsibility that goes with them. But Libs confuse "rights" with government entitlements. For example, healthcare is NOT a "right;" it is a private service for which everyone used to pay but which now Libs demand the government pay for as their "right." They feel no responsibility or obligation to pay for the medical services they use.
3
Dysfunctional government? The GOP is the problem. I've been watching them for many decades. If a Republican representative can't do something for the very wealthy then they will do all they can to stop government from adversely affecting the wealthy. Since many of the problems that government faces is due to the poor distribution of wealth in this country - then government itself is bad for the coffers of the wealthy. So Republicans routinely block the functioning of government as they serve only the very wealthy. Of course they have caused themselves to believe that service to the wealthy is service to the country and they have a whole economic philosophy to support that. But it is, as we see, false.
3
I don't question Tim Cook's desire to be a good guy. But get a little more done before you sit down with the journalists. Apple builds/sells products that are meant to be replaced every few years. What is Apple's and Tim Cook's theory about where all the retired phones and macs should go? Can we send them back to Apple? Or can a perfectly good machine be reworked to last a long long time and relieve the world of yet more trash? Moral responsibility is to the earth too.
75
"What is Apple's and Tim Cook's theory about where all the retired phones and macs should go? Can we send them back to Apple?"
Incidentally, you can: https://www.apple.com/recycling/
Incidentally, you can: https://www.apple.com/recycling/
1
Have you not heard of Apple's Recycling Program?
https://www.apple.com/shop/help/recycle
https://www.apple.com/shop/help/recycle
they're working on that too
“The reality is that government, for a long period of time, has for whatever set of reasons become less functional and isn’t working ..."
TIM, government IS society. it is society's representative (and strongly represents those very ideas which you find abhorrent) at the seat of power and as such they DO represent a larger part of our society. Unforntunately, the society that elected trump is the SAME SOCIETY that is not functional, looks backward to social development, uses guns and threats to get what they want, uses the laws--or lack thereof--to deny people their liberty and oftentimes their life.
SO, my question is how much of America do you believe is dysfunctional and do you have an APP to fix it?
TIM, government IS society. it is society's representative (and strongly represents those very ideas which you find abhorrent) at the seat of power and as such they DO represent a larger part of our society. Unforntunately, the society that elected trump is the SAME SOCIETY that is not functional, looks backward to social development, uses guns and threats to get what they want, uses the laws--or lack thereof--to deny people their liberty and oftentimes their life.
SO, my question is how much of America do you believe is dysfunctional and do you have an APP to fix it?
Business schools. please take note. Tim Cook is obviously a smart and moral man who is now trying to figure out what his and his company's social responsibilities are. Why wasn't this an integral part of his business education? So that he could have developed his ideas during his working life against the background of serious, organized study at business school?
2
Moral responsibility from a man that runs a company on the backs of slave labor?
34
shhhhhhhhhhh...that's not open for discussion...all hail Apple (and FB, Google, Amazon. etc) the Saviors of Mankind and employers of child slave labor in Burma /Myanmar/ , destroyers of rain forests (Schultz), polluters of rivers (Patagonia), destroyers of ancestral lands(Zuckerberg)... so please don't notice the Oligarchs behind the curtain, nothing to see there, move on little sheep and let your new masters herd you into your advert controlled future.....
2
Dear Tim,
Why don't you focus on running Apple and keeping it apolitical, like your predecessor? Make great products and sell them. Be the best on the market. And don't presume to moralize, you have no grounds whatsoever.
Why don't you focus on running Apple and keeping it apolitical, like your predecessor? Make great products and sell them. Be the best on the market. And don't presume to moralize, you have no grounds whatsoever.
7
Moral Responsibility? This from the same man that cut off free Iranian apps so that he could hobnob with Trump!
1
I doubt he and Trump hobnob
1
Paternalism lives while our government withers.
1
Be a good corporate citizen and pay taxes. Then feel free to weigh in. Otherwise, nothing but empty words...
27
I think we should all be deeply troubled by the idea that the CEO of Apple would proclaim Apple and other businesses the moral standard bearers for our country. Apple is a for-profit venture whose bottom line has been and will always be enriching its stockholders. Apple is not nor should it be in the business of deciding morals. Rather, it should adhere to standards of ethical business practice, which it has not always done and does not always do. We currently have a self-proclaimed business man as president, who seems to value personal wealth and status above all else, including government and country. I think Apple and other enormously wealthy and influential businesses like Facebook and their leaders would better serve our country - the country that has allowed them to become what they are - not by denouncing government and saying that businesses - primarily self-interested entities - should step into the void, but by investing in programs and education that would benefit the majority of people, not just potential app makers (and thus themselves). Tim Cook and Mark Zuckerberg are not public servants. When (white, male, enormously rich) business leaders start thinking they know best, I worry even more for the future of government in this country.
10
Apple could accept its iPhone as today's concept of its being an "everyday" phone and lower its price. Between the price and monthly cost, Apple's become too expensive. Apple's true reality is to its stockholders.
1
iPhone 6s are not expensive.
5s are cheap.
5s are cheap.
1
And yes, having one of the executives of one of America's richest corporations lecture us on how we need to promote a moral agenda reminds me of this:
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/38360-trump-in-the-white-house-an-...
And the salient quote from that interview:
One of the great achievements of the doctrinal system [the messaging of the corporate press and corporate agenda] has been to divert anger from the corporate sector to the government that implements the programs that the corporate sector designs, such as the highly protectionist corporate/investor rights agreements that are uniformly mis-described as "free trade agreements" in the media and commentary. With all its flaws, the government is, to some extent, under popular influence and control, unlike the corporate sector. It is highly advantageous for the business world to foster hatred for pointy-headed government bureaucrats and to drive out of people's minds the subversive idea that the government might become an instrument of popular will, a government of, by and for the people.
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/38360-trump-in-the-white-house-an-...
And the salient quote from that interview:
One of the great achievements of the doctrinal system [the messaging of the corporate press and corporate agenda] has been to divert anger from the corporate sector to the government that implements the programs that the corporate sector designs, such as the highly protectionist corporate/investor rights agreements that are uniformly mis-described as "free trade agreements" in the media and commentary. With all its flaws, the government is, to some extent, under popular influence and control, unlike the corporate sector. It is highly advantageous for the business world to foster hatred for pointy-headed government bureaucrats and to drive out of people's minds the subversive idea that the government might become an instrument of popular will, a government of, by and for the people.
7
Yea, the government is certainly for the peope.
It over taxes corporations, it over regulates corporations, it makes trade deals that favor foreign corporations, it gives tax breaks to foreign corporations that locate here, and if they repatriate all that money made overseas, they get hit with a huge tax. Yes our government is out for the people, it makes close to 50% dependents, and it teaches our students how to memorize, but not how to be critical thinkers. It protects all kinds of deviant behavior, or what used to be deviant behavior, now it is considered normal, this is all distraction. It is legalizing weed, all the better to suppress the ambition from many of the young.
AH - BUT ALL IS GOOOOOOOD
It over taxes corporations, it over regulates corporations, it makes trade deals that favor foreign corporations, it gives tax breaks to foreign corporations that locate here, and if they repatriate all that money made overseas, they get hit with a huge tax. Yes our government is out for the people, it makes close to 50% dependents, and it teaches our students how to memorize, but not how to be critical thinkers. It protects all kinds of deviant behavior, or what used to be deviant behavior, now it is considered normal, this is all distraction. It is legalizing weed, all the better to suppress the ambition from many of the young.
AH - BUT ALL IS GOOOOOOOD
Wow. Ron, did you even read the Chomsky quote?
If you read it, do you understand it? I think Chomsky is saying that the gov't *could* be a force for the people if the "doctrinaire" system could be resisted.
So, yeah, resist!
If you read it, do you understand it? I think Chomsky is saying that the gov't *could* be a force for the people if the "doctrinaire" system could be resisted.
So, yeah, resist!
CEO Tim Cook, representing Apple, is a confusing fellow. He applauds the social programs established by the Johnson administration, programs that are funded by tax revenue, and then Apple, begging cup in hand, takes $208Million in present or future tax revenue from the State of Iowa; Apple also benefits greatly by tax inversion that allows them to keep profits out of IRS reach and then lends them back to build in USA while paying itself interest on the internal loan. The tax polices during the Johnson admin did not permit tax inversions and the top individual marginal rate was 70%.
If CEO Tim Cook wishes to be viewed as a supporter of personal morality, he should take a good look at his corporation's responsibility to pay when it can and NOT bilk funds from States; thereby allowing the State to use the funds to help its people.
If CEO Tim Cook wishes to be viewed as a supporter of personal morality, he should take a good look at his corporation's responsibility to pay when it can and NOT bilk funds from States; thereby allowing the State to use the funds to help its people.
54
The idea raised by many commenters that Apple should pay more tax in order to have credible moral standing assumes that Apple's tax money would be spent wisely. Unfortunately, Republican administrations would just shovel the money into the pockets of their already wealthy backers while distracting their gullible base with fairy stories about trickle down economics. Arguably it could be more ethical to hold money back in order to be able to spend it more wisely.
As many of the comments note, it is disingenuous to use a 100% renewable energy claim while you produce new versions of phones and other products produced by exploited labor every year generating absurd levels of consumption that have huge environmental and social impacts. Please do not associate "moral responsibility" with companies like this. That is an extremely low bar to meet...
63
While I appreciate that there are 1%ers who mean the rest of us well (Elon Musk and Bill Gates, for instance), the point is that we shouldn't have to rely on the good will of those with money to benefit the rest of us. Why are we letting those with money set the rules? That's exactly what government is supposed to do and why we elect people to represent us. After all, a billionaire with a billion times more power than the rest of us can giveth and can just as easily taketh away.
What we need is a stronger government that represents all of us, not hoping that somebody with a lot of influence pities the little people enough to "fill the gap." Use your power of influence to close the gap where it does the most good: lobby the government. After all, they're not listening to the rest of us.
What we need is a stronger government that represents all of us, not hoping that somebody with a lot of influence pities the little people enough to "fill the gap." Use your power of influence to close the gap where it does the most good: lobby the government. After all, they're not listening to the rest of us.
14
"What we need is a stronger government that represents all of us,"
WE have the government that represents "us". It represents hatred, bigotry, racism, low values, greed and the leader has hubris enough for all the people of the world.
WHAT you mean to say, is a DIFFERENT government that represents the sane, normal people, the caring people, the people of the nation that do good, that believe in man-made disasters climate such as texas is now experiencing. Want a government that represents what YOU want? Make sure to get to the polling places at voting time because "elections HAVE consequences". Barack Obama (2017).
WE have the government that represents "us". It represents hatred, bigotry, racism, low values, greed and the leader has hubris enough for all the people of the world.
WHAT you mean to say, is a DIFFERENT government that represents the sane, normal people, the caring people, the people of the nation that do good, that believe in man-made disasters climate such as texas is now experiencing. Want a government that represents what YOU want? Make sure to get to the polling places at voting time because "elections HAVE consequences". Barack Obama (2017).
1
The problems of wealth 'management' began in earnest when top marginal tax rate was reduced from 70% to 50% and then, briefly as low as 28%. At present it is now 39.6%. Over the same time, corporate tax revenue has fallen, as a percentage of total tax revenue, by more than 50%. Tax benefits (loopholes) proliferated. SCOTUS ruled that Super-PACs were legal. And mostly, voters were mesmerized by the bountiful inexpensive consumer goods available for easy credit.
As President Clinton observed accurately "It's the economy" and as long as the economy was allowing folks to buy their 55inch TV set for a few hundred bucks, and easily qualify for a shiny new car loan / lease, these same folks neglected their responsibility to themselves and Country to become intellectually curious and rational about their voting responsibility.
It's taken some 36 years to get to where the USA is, beginning with President Reagan's mantra "Government's NOT the solution, Government's the PROBLEM" and this seed now matured because voters are not thinking carefully about necessities versus desires.
As President Clinton observed accurately "It's the economy" and as long as the economy was allowing folks to buy their 55inch TV set for a few hundred bucks, and easily qualify for a shiny new car loan / lease, these same folks neglected their responsibility to themselves and Country to become intellectually curious and rational about their voting responsibility.
It's taken some 36 years to get to where the USA is, beginning with President Reagan's mantra "Government's NOT the solution, Government's the PROBLEM" and this seed now matured because voters are not thinking carefully about necessities versus desires.
3
Elon Musk? Bill Gates? Sorry no. Selfish, Egotistical Madmen Oligarchs. Vain beyond belief. Founded on devious business practices (Microsoft) and shady government subsidies (% BILLION and counting for Musk alone). They are the modern day Robber Barrons
2
Fortune reports that Apple is planning on using its own wireless charging protocols and rejecting the industry standard in order to force customers to stay within the Apple ecosystem, on which it can collect revenues. Hope Cook can show Apple is being morally responsible and has a better charging solution and a good reason for rejecting the industry standard, other than showing more profit in 2018. Time for the Justice Department to look at Apple's monopolistic business strategies, but that will have to wait for a less corrupt administration.
7
If Trump hadn't shamed the corporations into caring about american jobs they still wouldn't care. So much for caring about diversity or anyone's job in the USA.
Also it's like a class system. The average american dreams of being able to save ONE million dollars over their LIFETIME for retirement if they live that long. And most will not succeed and will struggle just to send their kids to school. And then hope their kids will be able to find jobs what with all the outsourcing and work visa's. On Thursday he gets a 90 million dollar payout! A different world for these elite executives who play with our lives.
What he is doing is still just a token effort and he and the others need to do more.
A lot of difference between these billionaires and Americans just hoping to pay their rent and food!
Also it's like a class system. The average american dreams of being able to save ONE million dollars over their LIFETIME for retirement if they live that long. And most will not succeed and will struggle just to send their kids to school. And then hope their kids will be able to find jobs what with all the outsourcing and work visa's. On Thursday he gets a 90 million dollar payout! A different world for these elite executives who play with our lives.
What he is doing is still just a token effort and he and the others need to do more.
A lot of difference between these billionaires and Americans just hoping to pay their rent and food!
10
“The reality is that government, for a long period of time, has for whatever set of reasons become less functional and isn’t working at the speed that it once was. And so it does fall, I think, not just on business but on all other areas of society to step up.”
Our health care cost twice as much as it should because businesses have stepped up to do a government job. The best thing to do is to cut off the political power of businesses and make the United States of America a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
"Apple has already rolled out the curriculum in Alabama, Ohio and Pennsylvania, among other states. “You want it to increase the diversity of people that are in there, both racial diversity, gender diversity, but also geographic diversity,” Mr. Cook said. “Right now, the benefits of tech are too lopsided to certain states.” (Like California.)"
California pays a lot for a world class education system. Alabama does not. When Alabama pays for a world class education system, then they will get the benefits of technology. Mr. Cook is planting flowers in a desert, not watering them, and expecting a garden. Good luck.
Our health care cost twice as much as it should because businesses have stepped up to do a government job. The best thing to do is to cut off the political power of businesses and make the United States of America a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
"Apple has already rolled out the curriculum in Alabama, Ohio and Pennsylvania, among other states. “You want it to increase the diversity of people that are in there, both racial diversity, gender diversity, but also geographic diversity,” Mr. Cook said. “Right now, the benefits of tech are too lopsided to certain states.” (Like California.)"
California pays a lot for a world class education system. Alabama does not. When Alabama pays for a world class education system, then they will get the benefits of technology. Mr. Cook is planting flowers in a desert, not watering them, and expecting a garden. Good luck.
16
Moral Responsibility??? ... " ... using his platform at Apple to wade into larger social issues ..."
Laughable ...
Will that include negotiating a deal to bring back Apple's $250B dollars held overseas to avoid US taxation? How many roads, bridges, schools and hospitals will those funds build?
Or working with Law Enforcement on shared encryption when possible lives are at stake? Doubt it.
Why not an Apple University as an alternative to mainline colleges and universities providing modern day tech school subjects for software development? Maybe overseas jobs would then be here in the US.
If Tim Cook is so concerned about 'social issues' let him start 'inside' Apple ... and then lets see if he will run for an elective office. Not likely ... pontificating is easier for him.
Laughable ...
Will that include negotiating a deal to bring back Apple's $250B dollars held overseas to avoid US taxation? How many roads, bridges, schools and hospitals will those funds build?
Or working with Law Enforcement on shared encryption when possible lives are at stake? Doubt it.
Why not an Apple University as an alternative to mainline colleges and universities providing modern day tech school subjects for software development? Maybe overseas jobs would then be here in the US.
If Tim Cook is so concerned about 'social issues' let him start 'inside' Apple ... and then lets see if he will run for an elective office. Not likely ... pontificating is easier for him.
7
Jobs go overseas not because folks are more qualified, but because labor is cheaper. Corporations want you to believe we don't have enough talented people here, but it's the money. In many places, you can hire four people for what it would cost to hire one here.
4
And que the national socialists cheering for corporate imposed political correctness on everyone, which stifles free speech. Where have we seen this before? Oh yes.. Europe, 1930's. Welcome to Berlin, folks.
2
Maybe your company can pay its taxes instead of parking them overseas and offshore before you shoot off your trap about responsibility.
6
The business community abandoned any semblance of social responsibility years ago as higher profits through globalization came to the fore. Doubtful they will return especially in force.
5
Nice words. Business interests conspiring to reduce government and then volunteering to "fill the gap." I guess we should thank them twice. Is there an app for that?
5
The contemporary philosopher, Alasdair MacIntyre, posed a question which Mr. Cook might find worth considering: "Is it possible to construct a theory of Morality or system of Ethics absent a knowledge of Virtue?" And By "Virtue" he's speaking of the classical virtues of Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Courage.
Though we may have some innate intuitions concerning Right & Wrong, being Virtuous is learned behavior requiring specific training and practice until being virtuous becomes ingrained as a habit. For that reason I would suggest, given the recent activities of the "Antifada," that the answer to MacIntyre's question is No.
Though we may have some innate intuitions concerning Right & Wrong, being Virtuous is learned behavior requiring specific training and practice until being virtuous becomes ingrained as a habit. For that reason I would suggest, given the recent activities of the "Antifada," that the answer to MacIntyre's question is No.
4
Apple just gave $1M to a group like SPLC and Cook is preaching ethics and morals?
3
Yeah, donating to a ridiculous cause like Civil Rights! What about the National Socialist Movement, Tim?
Moral responsibility? He lives in opulence, and he and his company enjoy obscenely low tax rates for such obscenely high earnings. I would admire his ethics much more if he campaigned for progressive taxes and downward distribution of wealth. You can't take the moral high ground if you are filthy rich. Sorry, you can't have it both ways.
4
Typical liberal... he only views "gubmint" successful when it passes more and more legislation thereby making gubmint bigger and bigger... moron.
1
how much of his OWN money is he handing out. pretty sweet when you can be the big hero giving MY TAX MONEY AWAY. How big of a raise did he give to ALL HIS EMPLOYEES...none you say!?! how can that be morally responsible? do you leftists even SEE the HYPOCRISY?
3
Good on you Tim!
Little Tim ought to stay in Kaly and keep to business.The last thing this country needs is another hard left Kalyfornia business type sticking his lousy values on the rest of America. I can't see this guy who would love to control all we see and hear get anywhere ear DC
2
If Cook wants moral responsibility, perhaps Apple shouldn't be asking for huge tax breaks for locating its facilities. Shame! https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/24/apple-gets-208-million-in-tax-breaks-to-...
7
How about committing $1B to build the data center in China, so the Chinese government can access to those data at anytime? How about taking off VPN service apps from the app store to "be compliant" to Chinese regulation? What a hypocrite!!! Tim Cook wants to paint him as an saint, like a lot of those Silicon Valley business men. But In the end, still money talks!
7
Apple should be a good corporate citizen by paying its fair share of taxes
11
If the federal government focused on its original purpose of protecting our rights as citizens and protecting us from foreign invaders then we would neither demand nor expect so much from it. The rest of the governing business can be handled by state and local governments.
11
Brian - There is hope! Yours is the second reference to the 10th Amendment, though not in so many words, that I have seen today. Can we fan the embers of 'states' rights' back into a meaningful flame? Helen
Amendment 10 - Undelegated Powers Kept by the States and the People
Amendment 10 - Undelegated Powers Kept by the States and the People
1
Brian from New York, what about the rights of citizens that states and local government stubbornly fail to protect, indeed refuse to protect, sometimes to the point of war?
"Tim-Cook-Apple-moral-responsibility"? I have not seen a single raft in which Apple has commissioned to do rescues in Houston, and yet Tim Cook is preaching Moral Responsibility? Where is his Corporate responsibility to rescue a number of his customers?
2
There is a massive, society-destabilizing backlash against technology and Silicon Valley coming, quite soon, and the "preppers" in Silicon Valley know it.
Tech leaders like Tim Cook need to perform the most important "pivot" in history in the coming decade, to focus on job creation and a more equitable distribution of the wealth generated by tech, in order to stabilize civilization.
Yes, civilization, and no, I'm not getting melodramatic here.
Cook at least appears to recognize that, to his credit.
There are extraordinary technological tools that are becoming available that can be used to fix capitalism and our society, both of which are clearly broken.
The choices we make in the application of tools like AI, Deep Learning, 3D Printing, and the Internet of Things, along with new use cases for now mature technologies such as the cloud, social media, and mobile, will determine the future of civilization. Literally.
Unfortunately, the course that we're on now is a path to disaster.
Cook and the other tech leaders see the turmoil around the world, particularly in developed countries that got hammered by globalization and technology, and are discovering an entirely new set of monumental problems that they have been oblivious to that need to be solved.
The tools are there. Awareness is growing that a course-correction is not only necessary but urgent. The only question is whether we can harness the power of technology to avoid a cataclysm, rather than to cause one.
Tech leaders like Tim Cook need to perform the most important "pivot" in history in the coming decade, to focus on job creation and a more equitable distribution of the wealth generated by tech, in order to stabilize civilization.
Yes, civilization, and no, I'm not getting melodramatic here.
Cook at least appears to recognize that, to his credit.
There are extraordinary technological tools that are becoming available that can be used to fix capitalism and our society, both of which are clearly broken.
The choices we make in the application of tools like AI, Deep Learning, 3D Printing, and the Internet of Things, along with new use cases for now mature technologies such as the cloud, social media, and mobile, will determine the future of civilization. Literally.
Unfortunately, the course that we're on now is a path to disaster.
Cook and the other tech leaders see the turmoil around the world, particularly in developed countries that got hammered by globalization and technology, and are discovering an entirely new set of monumental problems that they have been oblivious to that need to be solved.
The tools are there. Awareness is growing that a course-correction is not only necessary but urgent. The only question is whether we can harness the power of technology to avoid a cataclysm, rather than to cause one.
32
I'm sure this includes outsourcing American jobs, holding state governments hostage for taxes and political policy, and contracting with Taiwanese companies who have little regard for their employees.
37
"government, for a long period of time, has for whatever set of reasons become less functional" --- The reason is the growing complexity of society. When there is a high complexity hierarchical organizations are ineffective. As stated by Mr. Cook, effectively addressing complexity requires broader participation in governance decision and action. An article titled "Complexity rising" explains why this is the case. Please also see "Teams: A manifesto"
5
society would be better if more CEOs become socially conscious ... Apple is in a unique position because of their history of outside-the-box corporate culture
4
I guess Tim doesn't realize that government employees cannot be fired and work goals are simply "do what you can" in other words if all you can do is show up, well that's okay. The entire civil service structure is setup to protect and promote government employees and get them through their tenure to a pension and in many cases, multiple pensions. Maybe Tim should institute the government work ethic into the Apple Corporate Culture and see how that works out. Ever wonder how intelligent people can be so clueless?
17
Many so-called intelligent people lack one import area of thinking.. Street Smarts..
Lots of book learning, but lack common sense as they are in a bubble all of their business careers.
Lots of book learning, but lack common sense as they are in a bubble all of their business careers.
2
I've interacted with very hard working career civil servants and other government employees across the spectrum from the USGS, Park Service, to the halls of Congress, NIH, and IRS. I don't know what you're talking about. These are some of the nation's true patriots and they deserve our respect.
$208 million in tax breaks and "up to $100 million" for local infrastructure, likely meaning closer to half that, which is likely another tax dump.
5
Government working "at the speed it once did"????? Are you joking, Me. Cook? Do not confuse activity for achievement - as another famous man from California once said (John Wooden)
3
This poor man is a hypocrite and doesn't even know it.
44
With reported cash reserves in excess of $250 billion, one would think Mr. Cook could put a lot more money where his mouth is -- including a significant portion of his own (and of his other execs).
31
Some of these comments makes me wish the NYT provided a 'NOT Recommended' option.
6
Truer words have not recently been spoken. Excellent news. Glad I have my 40 shares of Apple stock.
2
Mr. Cook commendably understands how corporations can address needs not met by the federal government, but the argument for his being a vanguard for moral responsibility is weakened when many reports indicate that Apple is paying minuscule amounts of U.S. taxes.
50
WHY does Apple make their products in sweatshops in CHINA?
A: so they can pass the savings on to consumers.
Wait.
WHAT??
Same pattern, every time. Total fraud by Apple.
A: so they can pass the savings on to consumers.
Wait.
WHAT??
Same pattern, every time. Total fraud by Apple.
Change the code on corporations will follow it. I don't expect a publicly traded corporation to pay more taxes than the law requires. Taxes aren't morality. The tax code dictates what corporations pay. Change the code to make corporations pay reasonable and fair amounts.
1
How about Apple gets moral enough to put their corporate office in California instead of Nevada, so they pay their state taxes that fund California's education system. Start there, Tim.
84
Jerry would start attacking Apples cash the moment they moved the HQ back to into Kaly.. Jerry can't run the failing welfare / Venezuelan Socialist nightmare without stealing monies from big business. Mr Cook is smart enough to know that while is pushing Socialism along with Jerry, he's protecting his companies profits from outright theft by Brown.
I don't want corporations to "fill the gap". I want them to be moral by paying their legally required full share of taxes so there won't BE a gap. The most "disruptive" and progressive thing any large corporation could do is to PAY YOUR TAXES.
142
Yes, these multi-billionaires who have special "projects" and think they are doing god's work are only deluding themselves. Democracy means they pay an equitable amount of taxes - based on gross profit before any write-offs - so WE THE PEOPLE can create the kind of society we want.
Multi-billionaires with a "mission" are simply 5th/15th century kings deciding who is "deserving". My higher power does not consider that godly - she considers it simply greedy.
Multi-billionaires with a "mission" are simply 5th/15th century kings deciding who is "deserving". My higher power does not consider that godly - she considers it simply greedy.
3
Moral responsibility should not be confused with political correctness .
8
I believe large parts of Tim's moral compass points in the opposite direction of what is right, but I won't bash him for that today.
I will commend him for at least implying three important moral principals of business need to return that were lost over the last 30-40 yrs:
1. That stockholders are not the only stakeholders who matter. A moral business model includes employees, communities, customers, and the country as equal stakeholders to stockholders.
2. Companies who want trained employees need to train them, and contribute to their training through apprenticeships and partnering with schools.
3. That government cannot do it all and in the American system, as originally designed, is absolutely not supposed to do any charity or social work. Individuals and corporations must partner to privately be the safety net of society and form communities of support that are person to person and local. Private charity within communities has a human touch and lifts people up. Government charity may keep them alive, but history has shown that it locks them into generational poverty.
I will commend him for at least implying three important moral principals of business need to return that were lost over the last 30-40 yrs:
1. That stockholders are not the only stakeholders who matter. A moral business model includes employees, communities, customers, and the country as equal stakeholders to stockholders.
2. Companies who want trained employees need to train them, and contribute to their training through apprenticeships and partnering with schools.
3. That government cannot do it all and in the American system, as originally designed, is absolutely not supposed to do any charity or social work. Individuals and corporations must partner to privately be the safety net of society and form communities of support that are person to person and local. Private charity within communities has a human touch and lifts people up. Government charity may keep them alive, but history has shown that it locks them into generational poverty.
4
Good that Apple is beginning to do significant work in the US somewhere else besides California. It's a shame IT has swamped the San Francisco Bay area, which in my opinion is on the brink of being over-gentrified beyond salvation. IT can thrive anywhere, seems to me, and doesn't need to be situated in an unique and stunningly beautiful -- and small -- environment that should be accessible to people of all economic classes.
6
"I think, not just on business but on all other areas of society to step up.”
I agree with Mr. Cook and believe it's time for all of us to become stewards again in business and in our local communities. We've forgotten how powerful we are when we come together. I'm glad to see Apple is using the power of scale to address the issues facing us. Thank you Mr. Cook and the people at Apple. It's time we scale up as individuals, come together and discover some clever solutions to these increasing challenges were facing.
Terrific article - thank you!
I agree with Mr. Cook and believe it's time for all of us to become stewards again in business and in our local communities. We've forgotten how powerful we are when we come together. I'm glad to see Apple is using the power of scale to address the issues facing us. Thank you Mr. Cook and the people at Apple. It's time we scale up as individuals, come together and discover some clever solutions to these increasing challenges were facing.
Terrific article - thank you!
23
Our government doesn't do its job because corporations & other financial interests pay it not to. Corporations who offer socially responsible programs & policies that also serve their own interests are not "filling in the gap." They are working PR on behalf of the gap. If Mr. Cook wants to promote democratic responsibility, perhaps he could bribe our representatives in Washington to do away with the bribery & corruption that keeps our government & politics in a state of dysfunction. A dysfunction that is, in fact, largely functional if you happen to be a corporation or a billionaire.
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Martin, for sure. And this: “The reality is that government, for a long period of time, has for whatever set of reasons become less functional and isn’t working at the speed that it once was. And so it does fall, I think, not just on business but on all other areas of society to step up.”
So, he wants businesses and citizens to step up to morally defensible action? How about just trying to return gov't to a decent level of functionality, say, on a par with gov'ts in Asia and Western Europe, for starters?
Here's something that came across my screen that seems promising:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uycwah5dd5cxms7/Federal%20Accountability%20Ame...
So, he wants businesses and citizens to step up to morally defensible action? How about just trying to return gov't to a decent level of functionality, say, on a par with gov'ts in Asia and Western Europe, for starters?
Here's something that came across my screen that seems promising:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uycwah5dd5cxms7/Federal%20Accountability%20Ame...
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Mr. Cook says, "The reality is that government, for a long period of time, has for whatever set of reasons become less functional..."
And, of course, being a good Leftist, he will fail to see the connection between NATIONAL spending on SOCIAL programs and the paralysis of today. Social spending on the national level is a black hole of waste that leads to a debt-ridden government which leads to a completely useless national government as "activists" fight over their chunk of taxpayer money. Fiscal conservatives were right about the national endgame.
If Leftists were so compassionate, why aren't all the wealthy LA and NYers funding charities and free associations to accomplish their activism - you know, like the Constitution allows? Or, they could use the taxing power of the state (not national) to create a Marxist utopia. I wonder how many productive citizens would stick around to pay for it.
Btw, we all hate being lectured by hypocrites. So, Mr. Cook, if you want more government, bring all that offshore tax money home.
And, of course, being a good Leftist, he will fail to see the connection between NATIONAL spending on SOCIAL programs and the paralysis of today. Social spending on the national level is a black hole of waste that leads to a debt-ridden government which leads to a completely useless national government as "activists" fight over their chunk of taxpayer money. Fiscal conservatives were right about the national endgame.
If Leftists were so compassionate, why aren't all the wealthy LA and NYers funding charities and free associations to accomplish their activism - you know, like the Constitution allows? Or, they could use the taxing power of the state (not national) to create a Marxist utopia. I wonder how many productive citizens would stick around to pay for it.
Btw, we all hate being lectured by hypocrites. So, Mr. Cook, if you want more government, bring all that offshore tax money home.
11
REALLY?
Mr. Cook, simply as an American citizen, is free to speak his mind on any subject he chooses to do so as enshrined in the First Amendment to our Constitution. Whether you agree with his views or not.
Mr. Cook is the sucessful CEO of the largest corporation on our planet, and he has pledged to donate his wealth to charities; as have Bill & Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett and numerous others who have made their fortunes in our economic system. How can you find fault with his words and actions are simply beyond comprehension.
Maybe its time for you to open up your perspective?
Mr. Cook, simply as an American citizen, is free to speak his mind on any subject he chooses to do so as enshrined in the First Amendment to our Constitution. Whether you agree with his views or not.
Mr. Cook is the sucessful CEO of the largest corporation on our planet, and he has pledged to donate his wealth to charities; as have Bill & Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett and numerous others who have made their fortunes in our economic system. How can you find fault with his words and actions are simply beyond comprehension.
Maybe its time for you to open up your perspective?
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I fail to see why federal spending on social programs would lead to Washington gridlock. I also fail to see what the Constitution has to do with the funding of charities by the wealthy. We get it, you're a right-winger, Richard; but your jealousy is unseemly.
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The amount we spend on the military far outpaces all we spend on social programs - and at least social programs do good for people here at home. No wonder you live in Flyover Country.
4
Apple, how about the moral responsibility of paying you taxes!
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Criospien--This is true of almost every multi-national corporation we have, including Apple. Let's have them, and all wealthy people. pay their taxes. Even if they paid 15%, it would be way more than they have paid in the past, even s they whine about their terrible burden.
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If you read the article, it states Apple paid approx. 26% on Federal taxes in 2014-2016.
How much taxes did Koch Industries pay?
How much taxes did Koch Industries pay?
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GTM--That's what they say, but I don;t think its true. Will they provide their tax returns? I still value my stock ownership.
2
Stay out of politics and don't take sides or your iPhone sales may suffer.
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Kudos to Tim Cook who appears to be a CEO with ethics and a moral compass.
Wouldn't it be great to have a President and GOP Congress right now with ethics and a moral compass?
Wouldn't it be great to have a President and GOP Congress right now with ethics and a moral compass?
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Yes, hooray for Apple colluding with China to restrict the freedom of their people, hooray for Apple's partner Foxconn running a suicide factory too!! Pats on back all around the boardroom. Now they think they are the moral police for everyone!!! Enjoy the Orwellian unpersoning to follow. Hope its not you or anyone you know. Cheers.
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Wouldn't it be great to have a President and GOP Congress right now with ethics and a moral compass?
- I've been asking this question for decades.
- I've been asking this question for decades.
5
If we could somehow convince Apple, Google, and the others to reward politicians for better ethics....unfortunately, the high bidders continue to be Republicans.
2
I noticed not a word about China and Apple's reinforcing of the government's restrictions on the freedom of the people of China.
It's quite clear that Apple's "moral responsibility" ceases when profits are involved.
It's quite clear that Apple's "moral responsibility" ceases when profits are involved.
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The man who builds iPhones with Chinese slave labor muses on ethics. Funny.
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