Well I think this is a bit reductionistic. Every business is a business, but just about every business also won't cross certainly highly-profitable morally-dubious or long-term damaging paths.

A car company could maximize short-term profits by reducing quality. Reddit could sell your location data to the highest bidder. Apple could threaten to delete all your pictures unless you buy a super-pro account.

And generally companies don't do this, because the backlash. The backlash is good. Often the backlash is even good for the long-term health of the company/world.

I think to say that short-term-profit-oriented behavior from companies is inevitable isn't true, the backlash often wins, and long-term strategic thinking is actually the norm.

Well said.

"A car company could maximize short-term profits by reducing quality."

Like KIA cheaping out on basic anti-theft measures (at least in the United States where the regulations don't demand it).

I agree they have to turn a profit.

I’m just baffled at their pitiful attempts at doing that the past few years. And how it’s now culminated into where we are this week.

2,000 employees. What are they even doing?