In China Trade War, Apple Worries It Will Be Collateral Damage

But in the other hand the Chinese government really really cares about keeping the middle class happy.

So did Jiang when he decides to purge a cult in which was said one in 12 urban Chinese were members of.

And now some think that they will stop at upsetting few exalted hipsters.

Some years ago, I read an article or heard an interview with a cognition / psychology / "cultural" expert (my apology, I know longer recall their exact credentials).

That person described how the human mind can be views as a "giant", very powerful comparison engine. We are constantly evaluating our environment, including and especially our social environment, and our standing within it.

If you are "doing as well as other people" -- sort of at the mean -- you are more relaxed. You feel secure, a part of the group with an established and respected place. You have social support (and its economic, defensive, etc. supports).

If you are not doing that well, you become stressed. You are in a vulnerable position.

I don't know whether I should be speaking of "mean" or "average". Nor to what extent media influence our perception of what that is.

But I've never lost hold of that description, from years ago, and it continues to prod my thinking. And I think a lot of people in the U.S. feel more threatened than ever.

Vast GDP is not reassuring, when you're not a part of it. Instead, it becomes threatening. Because you have no influence nor power compared to those people.

And the past some decades have demonstrated, that those people will continue to enrich themselves at your expense.

It may have been illusion more than reality, more often than people want to imagine: But the belief that "anyone can make it" in the U.S. has taken a serious blow, now, as well.

So, people are happy to see "those privileged, job-exporting SOB's" take a hit. Or, put your own particular thinking to the generalized sentiment.

Or, below some of those expressions, perhaps people are just hopeful that if more people are in the same boat, things will improve for them. At least, they won't be so disadvantaged in terms of power and influence.

It's a pretty horrible feeling, being marginalized -- if it's not of your own choice and rationale. As well, feeling under constant, chronic stress; one slip, and you will lose what you have.

And frankly it would be dumb for China to pick too big a fight with Apple(and Foxxcon). There would be retaliation and rerouting.

And I'm sorry, we can't let China be a single point of failure. There's a freemarket saying that goes something like "if you don't let goods cross borders soon armies will"... but what if your goods(IP) is arming the armies across the border... and what if you don't have the capability of sourcing components to create arms for your military from friendly nations?

The economy is demonstrably structured so that only a small number benefit, whilst income has been stagnant for generations, and living standards have been declining because of rising healthcare costs.

Bringing down Apple may benefit nobody, but there is no longer any reason for most Americans to care about the success of American businesses since they can’t share in the prosperity.

If Apple actually paid taxes on the money they made? If they didn't go over to china to pay cheaper labor and avoid enviromental regulations? Maybe you'd have a point. As is, they're just another parasite extracting as much wealth as they can in the name of creating the first quadrillionaire in history.

Is it too big to fall?

New American car company trying to change the world (Tesla)? Nope, hope it fails.

Large American company that contributes massively to the enonomy doing well (Apple) Nope, they suck.

Someone wants to talk about Healthcare, or Education, or gun reform ? Nope, they suck.

Basically, in modern America, everything and everyone sucks. It's not a positive place to be.

Because Apple is a tax dodging corporate behemoth that kowtows to the chinese and exploits slave labor? Because Apple sells overpriced garbage to people who don't know better?

> the company that comprises 3.94% of S&P 500, and is probably the single biggest holding of 401K retirement accounts.

You are really overstating AAPL significance in ordinary people's retirement portfolio. Most americans have an insignificant 401k account. I think I read that the median 401k value last year was $26K. Of that appl represents almost nothing for most investors/retirees.

> No American benefits if Apple falls.

What? Americans/american companies competing with Apple benefits. To say no american benefits isn't true. Hell Exxon's future has more impact on americans' lives. Doesn't mean we can't criticize it or support clean energy.

Apple is largely a widget company which produces expensive but nice technological baubles. If it fails we'll be fine.

"The Trump administration has told Mr. Cook that it would not place tariffs on iPhones, which are assembled in China, according to a person familiar with the talks who declined to speak on the record for fear of upsetting negotiations. But Apple is worried China will retaliate in ways that hamstring its business, according to three people close to Apple who declined to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly."