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Comment by leet_thow | Hacker News Reader

Boycott all these assholes and their shitty products.

I don't really understand the moral issue with a company eliminating jobs. Similarly, I also don't think these companies are doing a moral good for creating jobs in the first place.

The moral issue comes because these jobs are tied to people's livelihoods and ability to provide essentials like food, housing, healthcare, etc for themselves and their families.

So is the company doing a morally good thing when it provides the ability for someone to have food, housing, healthcare, etc? If not, it doesn't make sense to blame the company for eliminating jobs if they also don't get credit for employing people for however many years.

In a system where those things can't be taken for granted: yes. That's why people talk so positively about job creation, and we praise job creators. It's also why we shame and indeed ban companies that don't do those things: for example companies that pay below what is considered a minimum wage.

Of course, we could also discuss whether things like housing and healthcare should be tied to an employer in the first place, but this is a different discussion.

I think the issue that most people have is also that companies expect a certain level of respect and dedication from their employees but are not willing to reciprocate.

Make sure to work as hard as possible for us, pleas work extra hours if the company is doing bad. Don't take your vacations when it might impact team performance badly. If you leave give up a big heads up.

However we'll refuse your raises and bonuses if we feel like it. Also must be willing to move and uproot your whole life with no guarantee we'll keep you for long. We'll fire you one day after telling you your job was safe, and close all your company accounts before you get to save any of your documents or say bye to your colleagues. And remember no complaining after you leave, or we'll get you. Happened to quite a few people I know, not me thankfully.

And just "get an other job if you company sucks" doesn't always work. You might not know that your company sucks until you're out the door, or finding a new job in your field or without moving your whole family might not be easy

I never said to just get another job. I know solutions are never as easy as those annoying "why don't you just..." one liners. Those are all bad practices that should be condemned, but what I'm saying is that just firing people is not immoral in itself unless hiring people is also morally good. It just doesn't add up.

Do you also boycott farmers for using tractors instead of thousands of laborers?

That would be proverbially trying to close the barn after the livestock have escaped.

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

I boycott Dominos for putting up a "don't feed the workers" sign. It doesn't matter if other companies do the same, I'm boycotting that one.

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