I've heard Home Depot's founder's comments about 'lazy workers' before — from my grandfather
By: Home Depot (YahooNews)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus says Americans are lazy and don't want to work
I just read remarks by Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus. Mr Marcus decried the current generation as "fat, lazy and stupid," laying the blame for these character flaws squarely at the feet of Democrats and their socialist, "woke" culture.
As I pondered his comments, I suddenly recalled where I'd heard these sentiments before: from my late grandfather.
The outspoken elderly business magnate has a lot in common with my Pop, it turns out. Pop would reminisce about his early years, shaking his head at the deadbeat youngsters of the decadent 1950s, with their snooty attitudes and high falutin diplomas. Pop himself had quit school in eighth grade, to make his way in the world, unencumbered by college debt or the ability to make a reasoned argument. In his early twenties, he founded a trucking company, which he claimed would have been much more successful if not for the labor laws and unions that prevented him from overworking the drivers.
Pop would expound on the good old days over a shot and a beer at his local bar, which was crowded with fedoraed businessmen every night by 5 PM -- quitting time at many businesses in those years. America was going to hell, mourned Pop; no one wanted to work an 80-hour week in unsafe conditions anymore! Well, he didn't either, but that was beside the point. Pop died shortly after the end of the 1960s. I'm convinced the very idea of "hippies" did him in.
Like my grandfather, Mr Marcus has romanticized the past while demonizing the present. His recall of Home Depot's ascendance, the multitude of home improvement stores sprouting like mushrooms all staffed by hordes of eager beaver employees, is at best a rosy view. According to him, the Home Depot crews LOVED to work for his company, and found great satisfaction in knowing that they were successful (and, of course, adding to Bernie's bank account). What's so hard about becoming a millionaire? Anyone with some old-fashioned spunk and get-up-and-go can do it! Hooray for capitalism!
But no, Mr Marcus says, folks today would rather sit around, fanning themselves with their huge welfare checks, larking about in line at food banks, living the easy socialist lifestyle! They aren't motivated by a burning ambition to someday, possibly, afford to rent a one-bedroom apartment (surely a worthy goal). The pandemic has been worse than a killer of millions—it has made people soft, dammit! COVID has led to a massive re-evaluation of the rat race—facing mortality will do that, it appears. To Mr Marcus' abject horror, many Americans have decided that perhaps there's more to life than decade after decade of soulless, poorly compensated grind. Them and their pronouns! Who do "they" think "they" are?
Mr Marcus has aligned himself with another titan of industry, our former president. It does seem a bit curious that Mr Marcus' buddy Donald Trump exhibits none of the work ethic Mr Marcus so prizes; nevertheless, the big beautiful American dream of immense wealth for the few is alive and well, thanks to those tax cuts for the 1%. That is some comfort in these terrible times.
Age does have its privileges. I guess when you're almost a century old you can spout whatever nonsense you want. But the hotheaded opinions of the Home Depot founder, along with his knee-jerk scapegoating of President Biden and the Dems, add nothing of value to what is a pivotal moment in our nation's history. What will we look like as we emerge from a global pandemic? How can we contain college costs, real estate prices, astronomical medical bills? How can we address the many inequities in our society? How can we save our planet? Very importantly, how can we find ways to work together and become part of the solution?
At 93, one would hope Bernie Marcus might have developed some helpful perspective on the complexities of economics and human nature. We could all have benefitted from the wisdom gleaned from a long life. Alas, Mr. Marcus has chosen instead to be just another grumpy old man, like my Pop on his barstool, longing for a world that never existed.
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This man is 93 years old. Time to smell the roses, fool.
But he cant because he is at the trough, slurping up all the money he can.
Let it go asshole.
Huh, I thought that HD has been voted as one of the best places to work in America and they offer some amazing benefits that other companies don't provide.
93 year olds desperately need something better to do than bitch about how lazy American workers are. Period, not up for debate.
I have a nephew who worked at HD for at least 15 years. He was making $17/hr and had no health benefits at all until the ACA forced HD to provide them. If this a hole doesn't like how his workers work he should just do it all himself.
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HD does well on Glass Door:
People can talk about whatever they want. If you think 93 year olds should be bitching about how lazy Americans are, knock yourself out.
He's a hog-in-the trough, and its not a debate.
Obviously it’s up for debate, with everyone except the perpetually outraged intolerant types that is.
Maybe your nephew should develop skills that are worth more than 17 an hour? That’s what grownups do.
What is this fool 93 year old Bernie Marcus bitching about? Working people made him rich. He's in the frigging retail business for god's sake.
He is a big Trump fan, so I guess he has no morals or judgement when it comes to politics.
Instead of complaining that Americans dont want to work, why doesnt he ask himself why that might be so.
He is a big Republican fan who gave $1.5M to Jeb Bush in 2015.
HD provided health benefits prior to ACA. How did ACA force employers to provide benefits?
Exactly, Bernie didn’t build HD, the workers did. They took the risks, put in the hours and came up with the ideas.
At 93 years old he is perfectly capable of figuring out how he wants to spend his time without input from people that seem to live to tell others what they should think and do. If people don't like what he says I suggest they don't listen to him. Period, not up for debate.
Donald Trump isnt a "better man" than anyone.
Marcus gave this interview not too long ago, so it is after all the damaging information has been coming out about Trump over the last months. And still he seems to believe Trump could be 'the better man".
Still think he's not a Trump fan?
I told him several times they were taking advantage of him but he was a card carrying Republican so...
Maybe more of a Biden opponent.
He was interviewed for a news article. This is a comment and opinion site. I am giving my opinion of his interview. In other words, fuck off.
He was talking about the Republican primaries.
So he got what he deserved?
I think that he was a Jeb Bush fan in the primaries.
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Who's the one insulting family ?
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The one who said he is stupid and gullible based solely on his political leanings, I merely suggested he develop skills that pay a higher wage, plumbing? Electrician? Contractor? These all pay more than 17 an hour.
Sadly, he's passed so... I hope so.
There you go telling people what to do again.
Exactly, accusations of ageism equal trolling.
[No, actually, they're personal insults. Your ticket was less than you deserved. Knock it off.]
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Happy New Year Sandy.
I can't imagine an argument more suited to generate outrage in 2022. In a culture that's adopted oppression as the highest form of status, to even suggest someone in the past might have had it harder than today's generation is an attack on their very identity. It can't even be considered and must be dismissed on an ad hominem basis.
It takes about two seconds of comprehension to understand most Americans don't really work as hard as those who came before us. Think how often the "work Americans won't do" excuse is thrown around. Think what your grandparents did. Mine dropped out high school to work at a meatpacking plant. He started his career by showing up at the kill floor every morning at 4:00 AM. The only time I've seen 4:00 AM for work is waking up to catch a flight upon which I could go back to sleep. Fewer and fewer people work physically demanding jobs, and those that do work in nicer environments, with better safety regulations.
I, like most people, have anecdotal stories up the wazoo. I just talked to an old friend who's a higher up in the Discovery media conglomerate who made a lot of the same points. Asking young salaried employees making six figures to stay late is like asking them to sacrifice a kid. On a more objective level I just saw an article the other day about one of the big 4 accounting firms lowering what they ask of their young associates yet again, because the traditional busy season is too much for them.
Working less and putting more emphasis on work life balance isn't a bad thing per se. But admitting that's happening is impossible for a generation so infatuated with notion of being oppressed. Admitting they don't really work as hard as others have in the past isn't something their psyche can handle.
How hard do people work who make money off investments?
Return on investments (profit) should come after workers are paid a good wage, not before.
People have wised up. We have a rigged economic system that rewards CEO's owners, managers and investors very handsomely, and treats the workers as a necessary evil.
This old fool from Home Depot can go fuck himself.
Let’s hope HD goes under this year.
Make your worthless comments to someone else please.
Worthless? You pay like HD does.
How do you start a business without investments?
When someone invests in a business, are they "working"? Making money with money is not "working".
Would you say Bernard Marcus has more respect for wealthy investors or for the thousands of Home Depot workers who made him a billionaire?
How much have you invested in a new business? Is losing money with money “working”?
Did Bernard Marcus do no work to create Home Depot?
Right. They want to work less and get paid more. Just like Marcus was saying.
Someone must be working since Bernie retired from HD in mid-2002 their stock has gone from $23.87 to $315.86 per share today.
Net income for 2002 $3.7 billion.
They are the largest home improvement retailer in the world with 490,000 employees.
"fat, lazy and stupid," per Mr. Marcus if that is true they sure seem to know how to expand and make money.
There are at least 50 streaming shows broadly concerned with "home improvement". Watching and talking about rehabbing houses has become a form of mass entertainment. Home Depot and all the other home supply stores are riding a wave.
Damn that popular past time. HD should be ashamed for serving this abnormally.
Do better.
Do better at what?
He is complaining because today's workers can't be taken advantage of like in the past. Today's workers know their rights, know much more about corporations and the "systems" than in the past. They know what can be asked of them and what can't. He is complaining that today's workers won't bend over and let corporations/management kick them in the butt. He wants workers to say "yes sir!" and jump when he says jump.