In Reply to: Staggering levels of corruption posted by russsmith on December 08, 2025 at 19:53:32
Paul Krugman recently suggested that much of the corruption we’re seeing today is coming from tech CEOs who are arguably past their prime. You don’t see the same pattern in the banking sector.
Part of the contrast is cultural. Figures like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg were once portrayed as near-mythic innovators—celebrated in books and movies. That kind of public adulation can make it harder for tech leaders to recognize when their influence has waned.
By contrast, banking executives tend to be more cautious. When asked why he didn’t contribute to funding a White House ballroom, Jamie Dimon noted that the financial industry has no way of knowing what priorities future Justice Departments might hold. In other words, banks understand that a new administration may take a very different view of what looks like obvious corruption today.
Tech CEOs, eager to reclaim their earlier prestige, don’t always show the same prudence.