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A review by rick2
Break 'em Up: Recovering Our Freedom from Big Ag, Big Tech, and Big Money by Zephyr Teachout
5.0
Market dominance and universal surveillance combine to create a truly unique set of circumstances for today’s work and businesses. (He says while posting on a Bezos property) Zephyr Teachout convincingly argues that big tech and agriculture are Detrimental to a functioning society. She then attempts to transfer these arguments to other industries. Overall I found the book an incredibly condemning portrait of the monopolization of American industry.
There’s one of the few books where I wanted it to be twice as long. I want more information on the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare in general. Chapter 10 about the historical regulation of monopolies felt like the Cliff Notes of a larger book that I really would’ve liked to read. You could write a book on every industry described here, Teachout spent maybe three pages describing venture capital and Softbank. Which is an industry and Co. I’m very familiar with. I think there are multiple books to be written about how venture capital restricts and eschews regulation under the guise of “innovation”
I think one of the drawbacks to this book is that when you make a case against entrenched powers, you should do so comprehensively. When you come at the king you best not miss. I know I’m going to discuss this book with others and because it proposes things like trust busting and regulation, there will be plenty who disagree with it. I wish there was more fodder to point to in each Industry. It doesn’t hurt the overall impact of the book, it’s just a personal wistfulness.
Overall Break Em Up is a condemning look at big business in the US. I think a couple years and 20 or so books ago, I would not have connected as strongly with her points. But in September of 2020 I thought this book provided incredibly comprehensive view of the issues surrounding and facing American industry.
There’s one of the few books where I wanted it to be twice as long. I want more information on the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare in general. Chapter 10 about the historical regulation of monopolies felt like the Cliff Notes of a larger book that I really would’ve liked to read. You could write a book on every industry described here, Teachout spent maybe three pages describing venture capital and Softbank. Which is an industry and Co. I’m very familiar with. I think there are multiple books to be written about how venture capital restricts and eschews regulation under the guise of “innovation”
I think one of the drawbacks to this book is that when you make a case against entrenched powers, you should do so comprehensively. When you come at the king you best not miss. I know I’m going to discuss this book with others and because it proposes things like trust busting and regulation, there will be plenty who disagree with it. I wish there was more fodder to point to in each Industry. It doesn’t hurt the overall impact of the book, it’s just a personal wistfulness.
Overall Break Em Up is a condemning look at big business in the US. I think a couple years and 20 or so books ago, I would not have connected as strongly with her points. But in September of 2020 I thought this book provided incredibly comprehensive view of the issues surrounding and facing American industry.