Is Walmart Evil?

A close friend of mine was just offered a corporate position at Walmart. Their salary would double. However he is also, let’s say, skeptical… of being a cog in that particular machine.

What sayeth you?

Good? Evil? Beyond Good and Evil?

Eh, it’s a massive company so there are certainly things that people can probably get wound up about if they want to. Maybe I’m ignorant but I don’t think WalMart has a particularly bad reputation. I’d certainly take the extra pay, maybe give half the gains to charity if it helps.

Working for Facebook might be an interesting choice. I’d probably be less likely to work for a company like that due to feelings of low moral character. I’m sure it’s great on the resume for software developers, etc. but for my company to have been involved in helping conflicts spark, etc… eh, I think I’ll stick with my boring insurer

No they just sell stuff.

So does the Devil!

2 Likes

Is the company he works for now evil to pay him 1/2 (assuming it isn’t a fencing company here)?

Don’t they also run over local businesses and in the end ship their profits to the shareholders rather than invest in local communities? Or maybe that takeover is complete and people no longer worry about that?

1 Like

A lot of us (actuaries) feel like local businesses kind of suck, and are supposed to fail, according to our Lord and Master, the invisible hand.

Would very much be interested on your thoughts on that though.

:stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: :clap:

But think of the data!

“Looking at the most recent 30 billion member months…”

:heart_eyes:

1 Like

I think Walmart kind of sucks.

I don’t think local businesses should fail, but it in many cases one of the differences is that Walmart can negotiate preferential local tax treatment to be better than the local business. I am sure Walmart is more efficient and can provide goods for a lower price.

I am not really sure I have thoughts beyond that.

2 Likes

Yeah, but if you call customer service do get put in auto-response hell, or do you get Kelly, which could be seen as a different kind of hell?

1 Like

walmart is ruthless as a business. as far as I know, they follow the rules as much as needed and can use their size and scale to hammer others or negotiate advantages for themselves that others can’t.

do i like the store, or their usual practices? no. Are they “evil”? not sure I see it.

would I work there for 2x salary? Depends on if I have to start on site tomorrow or they can wait til Monday for me to get some things in order.

2 Likes

In a sense, this is what people mean when they say that the concentration of power is immoral. Leverage to squeeze suppliers, regulators, employees, unions, tax collectors, etc.

Of course, the same could be said of other enterprises, including insurance.

It is also just a sort of sucky building.

1 Like

is a virus evil? Depends on your POV i guess

1 Like

was the Borg evil? just asking

3 Likes

In business, if it’s legal, it’s moral - the legal system is the business moral code.

  • business 101.

I don’t subscribe to this myself, but it’s commonplace.

This. Double salary? Walmart isn’t evil enough for me to turn that down. If you’re worried take your offer to Target and see if they will price match.

3 Likes

i would work for a cigarette company for 3x my current salary, plus fully remote, plus no OT

of course i would be analyzing the best ways to addict people. May god have mercy on my soul

What if your friend does a really bad job for Walmart, sabotaging them from inside while collecting those fat evil bucks?

1 Like

he’ll probably get fired, so will lose that salary. Unless that’s the plan