The Culture of Ellison

Larry Ellison has always gotten a free pass in the yachting world because money talks and anything else, almost totally regardless of how egregious any accompanying baggage might be, is conveniently overlooked. We are asked to look at his gross display of wealth (how's that 450' new powerboat for an example?), his AC program and admire the accomplishments of Larry the Great. We of course are not asked to pay any attention to the fact that he is a man on his fourth marriage, that he is known as a tyrannical and ruthless software magnate who boasts about routinely firing the bottom 10% of his employees, and now has become a hostile and predatory corporate raider in his takeover of People Soft, another software provider. Ellison's Oracle plans to fire at least 5,000 People Soft employees in the process, not because People Soft isn't making any money or they aren't good employees, but for the bottom line of maximizing profits, because after all, being worth $18.7 billion and the 12 richest human being on earth isn't quite enough. Read the story.

So next time you read about Ellison's sailing exploits, or god forbid actually cheer them on, be sure to understand that the man behind the money is a brutal corporate power broker who cares nothing about you, but certainly cares plenty about himself.

1/15/05