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Social Control In Amazon

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Ten years ago, when one heard the word “Amazon,” they would likely picture the rainforest in South America with astounding biodiversity. Five years ago, when one heard the word “Amazon,” they might be more likely to picture a Kindle reader or the rapid-fire delivery of brown packages to their doorstep. Now, in 2016, when a native Seattle hears the word “Amazon,” they more than likely would immediately conjure the now Amazon dominated neighborhood of South Lake Union or the futuristic biodomes currently under construction in Belltown in the city of Seattle. Amazon’s physical, economic, social, and political control has allowed this multi-million dollar company to drastically shape and change the makeup of a major US city. From a local standpoint, many native Seattleites are struggling to …show more content…

Through Seattle and more specifically the role of Amazon Inc. within Seattle, the ways in which capitalism is both an economic and social system become exemplified. As a formerly radical city, we question how Amazon has been able to utilize the lack of rent control or income tax to turn this city and population into a neoliberal haven. In this instance, social justice is a matter of exercising ultimate control over an environment, an environment in which power is supposed to be democratically elected by the people. Most of Amazon’s negative reputation starts in August of 2015 with a lengthy exposé, published by the acclaimed New York Times, on the culture and ethic of the Internet giant’s workplace. Kantor and Streitfeld write, “Even as the company tests delivery by drone and ways to restock toilet paper at the push of a bathroom button, it is conducting a little-known

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