Chapter 1: The Correlation Between Size and Malice

There seems to be a significant link between the scale of an organization and its potential for wrongdoing. From large religious institutions to tech giants like Google and Amazon, the patterns are striking.

When I was growing up in a faith-based community, we often criticized the perceived corruption found in larger traditional congregations. We favored smaller groups, reminiscent of the early Christian church, and when our congregation grew too big, we would encourage portions of it to form new groups.

Initially, our church was simply one gathering in a rented gymnasium. By the time I reached my twenties, several congregations had emerged, each with their own facilities. The leadership believed that a congregation's size could lead to unhealthy dynamics, placing pastors in vulnerable positions susceptible to the corrupting influences of power and admiration.

While I no longer subscribe to many of the church's doctrines, the idea that larger organizations become unmanageable resonates with me. Once they expand beyond a certain point, their leaders can become overly confident, making corruption almost unavoidable.

My father often remarked that America had grown too large to govern effectively. He believed that our democratic system, coupled with our size, was inherently unsustainable. Although I dismissed his claims as exaggerated, he maintained that a division was necessary, though he never provided a clear solution—leaving that to others.

This illustrates the challenge faced by many advocating for substantial governmental change; they often lack viable solutions. They might propose seemingly reasonable fixes, but these ideas tend to crumble under scrutiny. Simply adding more political parties would necessitate a fundamental overhaul of our government, which would either require rewriting the Constitution—a near impossibility—or abandoning it altogether, an unthinkable option.

A common proposal is to establish a new governmental system, which would either need universal agreement from those in power (unlikely) or an armed uprising, though it's unclear who would lead such a movement. Do these individuals genuinely believe that their personal arsenals can stand against a well-equipped military?

Although no solid solutions exist, it is evident that governance has become increasingly challenging, especially in cities like New York. The dynamics there often resemble organized chaos, with leadership appearing ineffective and the populace operating on its own momentum.

As organizations expand, a significant portion of their workforce often becomes middle management, whose primary role is to oversee employees without adding real value. Consequently, the larger the organization, the more "overseers" are needed. When upper management seeks to streamline operations, they tend to cut middle management positions, burdening the remaining managers with more responsibilities than they can handle.

Historically, the U.S. Congress enacted the Sherman Anti-Trust Act in the late 1800s, targeting monopolies. By the early 1900s, significant companies like Standard Oil and American Tobacco were dismantled, resulting in enhanced competition and fairer prices.

However, it has been years since the Justice Department has effectively addressed a major monopoly. While they occasionally intervene in certain mergers, they appear ill-equipped to tackle the technological monopolies dominating the 21st century, such as Apple, Google, and Amazon. These entities wield excessive power that can be detrimental to a healthy society.

Though not at the forefront of our current crises, addressing these monopolies is crucial. We need increased competition to foster innovation and fair pricing, rather than allowing wealth to continue concentrating in the hands of a few.

I don't identify as a socialist, but I find myself increasingly curious about the concept.

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