"The Men who Built America"

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Venture capitalists generally consider closing a company a failure.

Pete

Bain doesn't.

John

[piece-itpete]

Eh. Companies are to make a profit.

Pete

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Venture capitalists generally consider closing a company a failure.

Pete

"I love to fire people.................." Mitt Romney.

Regards,
Dave

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Eh. Companies are to make a profit.

Pete

At any cost? If corporations are people then perhaps they should be held to the same moral imperatives as people are.

[bhunter]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Anybody else watching this History Channel series? Just saw the first one which covers Vanderbilt, Scott, and Rockefeller. Next up, Carnegie and Frick.

So, far it's pretty good. It points out the accomplishments and valuable contributions of these men, but doesn't gloss over the fact that they could also be extremely ruthless tyrants. ( I wonder if they'll bring up Fords interactions with the Nazi Party?)

Those of you who've conversed with me here for a while know I absolutely hate the deification of historcal figures. I want the whole picture, warts and all. Some people these days can't handle knowing their heros were imperfect human beings.

Anyhow, I was just curious to see if anyone else is watching.

Regards,
Dave

An excellent series IMHO. They did a great job in depicting both the bad and the good of the robber-barrons. It also demonstrated the competition that existed between the participants. Overall, JD, Scott, and CV all contributed immensely to America. The significance must be compared to what was happening in other countries and how America fit in with the entire industrial revolution. I'm most certain that a lot of people benefitted by having cheaper and more readily available fuel to provide light and heat. Moreover, wothout the timely industrial growth, would America been able to eclipse Britain and then the directed might of Germany during the next century?

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by bhunter

An excellent series IMHO. They did a great job in depicting both the bad and the good of the robber-barrons. It also demonstrated the competition that existed between the participants. Overall, JD, Scott, and CV all contributed immensely to America. The significance must be compared to what was happening in other countries and how America fit in with the entire industrial revolution. I'm most certain that a lot of people benefitted by having cheaper and more readily available fuel to provide light and heat. Moreover, wothout the timely industrial growth, would America been able to eclipse Britain and then the directed might of Germany during the next century?

Yep, I agree. I can't deny the contributions made. So long as they are portrayed as they were and not as some twisted sort of heaven-sent soldiers of God, (Some of them actually saw themselves in that way.), I'll enjoy it. We'll see how they handle the story of Henry Clay Frick and his battles with labor. If they attempt to elevate that crazy bastard any higher than he deserves and demonize the workers.....I'm done. If they portray it as it was, GREAT!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Clay_Frick

I remember reading that he once claimed that men such as himself had been endowed by "...none less than the Almighty...." with the intelligence and drive to rule over "...lesser men...". And that any attempt to challenge that authority is an attempt to thwart the will of God.

Regards,
Dave

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Yep, I agree. I can't deny the contributions made. So long as they are portrayed as they were and not as some twisted sort of heaven-sent soldiers of God, (Some of them actually saw themselves in that way.), I'll enjoy it. We'll see how they handle the story of Henry Clay Frick and his battles with labor. If they attempt to elevate that crazy bastard any higher than he deserves and demonize the workers.....I'm done. If they portray it as it was, GREAT!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Clay_Frick

I remember reading that he once claimed that men such as himself had been endowed by "...none less than the Almighty...." with the intelligence and drive to rule over "...lesser men...". And that any attempt to challenge that authority is an attempt to thwart the will of God.

Regards,
Dave

Hmm, was that the same almighty who taught us to love our neighbours as ourselves?

[bhunter]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Yep, I agree. I can't deny the contributions made. So long as they are portrayed as they were and not as some twisted sort of heaven-sent soldiers of God, (Some of them actually saw themselves in that way.), I'll enjoy it. We'll see how they handle the story of Henry Clay Frick and his battles with labor. If they attempt to elevate that crazy bastard any higher than he deserves and demonize the workers.....I'm done. If they portray it as it was, GREAT!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Clay_Frick

I remember reading that he once claimed that men such as himself had been endowed by "...none less than the Almighty...." with the intelligence and drive to rule over "...lesser men...". And that any attempt to challenge that authority is an attempt to thwart the will of God.

Regards,
Dave

I just saw the next episode last night. I think they did a good job in their depiction of Frick and the Pinkertons. Does labor have the right to block access to private property? I can see why labor protested, but I also can understand why Frick brought in the Pinkertons.

[BlueStreak]

Did Frick have a right to treat people like s**t? No. So, I don't really care about his rights. He forfeited them with his rotten ideology and abuses. What comes around, goes around. When you treat people like that, you deserve what you have coming..............It's called Karma, my friend.

Regards,
Dave

[bhunter]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Did Frick have a right to treat people like s**t? No. So, I don't really care about his rights. He forfeited them with his rotten ideology and abuses. What comes around, goes around. When you treat people like that, you deserve what you have coming..............It's called Karma, my friend.

Regards,
Dave

There's no question he was a first class prick.