Billions Quote by Jaron Lanier
“Here’s a current example of the challenge we face. At the height of its power, the photography company Kodak employed more than 140,000 people and was worth $28 billion. They even invented the first digital camera. But today Kodak is bankrupt, and the new face of digital photography has become Instagram. When Instagram was sold to Facebook for a billion dollars in 2012, it employed only thirteen people. Where did all those jobs disappear to? And what happened to the wealth that all those middle-class jobs created?”
About This Quote
Source Article: The New York Times, “The Kodak Story”, 2023
The quote illustrates how rapid technological change can render massive industries obsolete, displacing jobs and wealth.
In simple terms: Tech change can wipe out big companies and jobs.
Key Takeaway
Adapt to change, diversify skills.
Themes
technology
economy
disruption
employment
wealth
innovation
Mood
cautious
reflective
Type
analytical
warning
When to use this quote
- career planning
- investment strategy
- policy making
- education reform
- entrepreneurship
Key Concepts
creative destruction
market cycles
digital transformation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies better transition workers from declining industries?
- What policies can preserve wealth distribution during tech shifts?
A Different Perspective
It overlooks that new jobs and wealth can be created elsewhere, not just lost.
![“The [Kodak is] the only witness I have encountered in my long experience that I couldn't bribe.” quote by Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/473/mark-twain-22_bribe_the-kodak-is-the-only-witness-i-have-enc_1015651.jpg)
