They pivoted away from that quite a while ago now they just disappear people for a week or two and randomly completely crush a business here and there to make sure they understand their place.

I wish we could give the Elons and Thiels and Ellisons the same treatment...

1920's: Hard times create strong men.

1950's: Strong men create good times.

1980's: Good times create weak men.

2010's: Weak men create hard times. There you are, wishing for hard times. May I suggest finding yourself the socialist paradise where they do as you wish and move there? You should be happier and we will be as well as long as your wishes don't come true.

>May I suggest finding yourself the socialist paradise where they do as you wish and move there?

If you promise not to sanction and bomb it and fund and arm far-right wing dictator thugs there, I'm game!

But you got it backwards: it's your "strongmen" and your "elite human capital" that has created hard times, destroyed strong working and middle class men's livelihood, pivoted the economy to financial betting games, outsourcing, and rent-seeking, and enshittified everything.

If you have no practical experience living in a totalitarian country, don't wish that upon yourself and your family.

That momentary feeling of triumphing over your enemies won't compensate for what you'd lose. This is a mistake that was made by numerous intellectuals in history.

Everyone thinks they’re getting the cushy office job working for the party, until they’re handed a shovel by someone with a gun.

In the worst case, knowing that they are about to dig their own graves.

So also does the US. Trump had prominent cases against Google and Meta. Biden against Apple and Amazon. Prominent efforts on airlines and grocery stores. Honestly, I'm pretty sure the US and Chinese antitrust laws are pretty similar (theirs largely crafted after ours).