Eight signs of evil in high-tech companies
We don't ask perfection of the companies we deal with. But we all like to believe
that, at least on a philosophical level, our employers, suppliers and customers
are inherently good. An occasional faux pas can be pardoned (we're all human
beings, right?), but moral degeneracy is something else again. Evilness will
not be tolerated.
Microsoft
is no stranger to the evil moniker. (C'mon: It's the first company you thought
of, wasn't it?) Microsoft has been called the Evil Empire, a "big bully"
and "a
killing machine without soul or conscience that only knows its own hunger and
appetites," though some would argue it's softened its image of late.
Oracle founder Larry Ellison reportedly said, "It's
Microsoft versus mankind, with Microsoft having only a slight lead."
But, of course, Oracle and Ellison aren't immune from the evil label-just ask
PeopleSoft devotees. (Ellison once famously said in an issue of CIO magazine
that if he were an animal, he'd be a red-tailed hawk because they only kill
to eat.) Or how about SCO
and those it has fought against in the courtroom? At one time, IBM
was considered evil (though many might argue it has redeemed itself...sort of).
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Google
angelically promised that it would never be evil ( "Don't
Be Evil," to be exact). The jury, however, is still out on whether
Google has been able to stick to its mantra or has become Evil 2.0.
There are several useful indicators that a company may be leaning in a malevolent
direction. If you see your company doing any of these, beware: You might be
working at an...evil company.
1. Arrogance Is Bliss
A wealth of arrogance does not necessarily mean your company is evil. It's simply
a necessary preexisting condition to becoming an evil enterprise.
One way in which corporate arrogance manifests itself is through the tried-and-true
press release or corporate statement. The gestalt of pre-evil press releases
is basically, "Hey! Look at what we're doing! Please notice us!" or
"Will pimp myself and company for publicity." You'll know your company
has made the switch to the dark side when the PR department has no problem issuing
a release that has this cooperative feel to it: "How dare anyone inquire
about our alleged stock-option backdating inquiring from the SEC! Back off,
stupid infidels. We know what we're doing!"
This transformation does not happen overnight. It is bound to occur, in small
increments, at most every growing company. But the evil company goes to great
lengths
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