I don't think you should be downvoted. Its amazing to me that people will spout high minded "living wage" nonsense and then spend an hour on their computer searching for the cheapest retailer on the whole internet.

If Amazon took the advice and paid higher, the products would cost more and the web-potificators would congratulate them profusely for their magnanimity while putting them straight out of business with their buying habits.

Amazon is huge so it distorts the picture and seems to muddle the thinking a bit but even the largest of ships are beached by a receding tide.

I'm not saying that this is the desired order of things, just things work at the moment.

This kind of sentiment is exactly what's wrong with "disruptive" culture

The Silicon Valley empathy vacuum strikes again.

I don't see how you could be down voted for this on a forum that specializes in exactly that: supply and demand.

Amazon needs the work done, people are willing to do that work for that wage under such conditions - supply and demand. At least people have that option; impose restrictions, and many go from having that option to not having it (while the employer finds cheaper options).

Ok, so it's all supply and demand right? And it's every man for himself, bootstraps and such. A dog-eat-dog world, if you will?

Here's the deal: How about you and me go into a big pit, with knives. And if I win, I get all your stuff.

Oh, I see, suddenly you'd rather get the State involved.