Martin Shkreli is fascinating

[abaris]

Then why is his behavior inappropriate?  If it turns out, for example, that his drug was far undervalued, and that even after the price raise, his company lost money, then that would seem to show he's sincere.

He's on the radar of the authorities for other, more mundaine, things. He's a scumbag. And unless you think it's fair to make a dime on the backs of people having no choice, you can't argue the fact. Not everything should be a commodity to get rich. But that's the real philosophical question here.

[Mermaid]

Then why is his behavior inappropriate?  If it turns out, for example, that his drug was far undervalued, and that even after the price raise, his company lost money, then that would seem to show he's sincere.

He's on the radar of the authorities for other, more mundaine, things. He's a scumbag. And unless you think it's fair to make a dime on the backs of people having no choice, you can't argue the fact. Not everything should be a commodity to get rich. But that's the real philosophical question here.

The thing that a lot of people are missing here is that this is the norm in our capitalist market today. He's not unique in the slightest, he just gives a face to it (and a really smarmy one).

[abaris]

The thing that a lot of people are missing here is that this is the norm in our capitalist market today.  He's not unique in the slightest, he just gives a face to it (and a really smarmy one).

I'm not missing the slightest bit about that. Doesn't change the fact that I'm highly disgusted by someone making money on the backs of the helpless. If he's the one presenting a face, fine. I spit in his instead of all the others, still hiding in shadows.

[Mermaid]

The thing that a lot of people are missing here is that this is the norm in our capitalist market today.  He's not unique in the slightest, he just gives a face to it (and a really smarmy one).

I'm not missing the slightest bit about that. Doesn't change the fact that I'm highly disgusted by someone making money on the backs of the helpless. If he's the one presenting a face, fine. I spit in his instead of all the others, still hiding in shadows.

Sorry, I didn't mean to point that comment at you.

[bennyboy]

Excellent article in the New Yorker:

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultura...-the-point

Yes, thank you, it was very interesting.

[bennyboy]

He's a greedy scumbag.

 Maybe, but my sense is that greed isn't his motivator.  I think he's a serious narcissist.  He could be the kind of ugy who completely flips the script and comes out a hero-- and all just for attention.  On the other hand, he could finally figure out how to kill Batman.


Time will tell, I guess.

[abaris]

I think he's a serious narcissist.

Greed and narcissism aren't mutually exclusive. Also, one isn't any better than the other. Both are usually found with despicable individuals.

[bennyboy]

I think he's a serious narcissist.

Greed and narcissism aren't mutually exclusive. Also, one isn't any better than the other. Both are usually found with despicable individuals.

You have a lot to say about him, but what, other than what you've been fed by the media, do you know about this person?  I'm not saying you're wrong about him, because I don't know him either.  However, his interviews have certainly piqued my curiosity.  Here's another one.  You can see how one of the interviewers wanted so hard to hate him, but was starting to warm up by the end.

[abaris]

You can see how one of the interviewers wanted so hard to hate him, but was starting to warm up by the end.

Fact is, he raised the fee for a pretty important drug by 5.500 percent. That's not up for debate, that's reality and not only media coverage. What should I have to say about a person like that? Maybe it was too cheap. Well, he could have doubled the price, tripled it, and I still would have had some understanding. But 5.500 percent? That's money grabbing on the backs of people, who can't make a stand against the likes of him.

And that some reporter warms to him, well, sociopaths have a tendency to be very charming. Doesn't change their lack of empathy. He may just be a cold money grabber or a sociopath. It doesn't matter. The simple facts make him a despicable person.

[bennyboy]

You can see how one of the interviewers wanted so hard to hate him, but was starting to warm up by the end.

Fact is, he raised the fee for a pretty important drug by 5.500 percent. That's not up for debate, that's reality and not only media coverage. What should I have to say about a person like that? Maybe it was too cheap. Well, he could have doubled the price, tripled it, and I still would have had some understanding. But 5.500 percent? That's money grabbing on the backs of people, who can't make a stand against the likes of him.

He's also said that 65% of the drug that's distributed is given for free, especially to people who don't have health care, and that his company is losing money because there aren't many people who need the drug.  He bought a drug that isn't covered by patent or copyright-- and I still don't understand why, actually.

In the following video, he really gets into the pharmaceutical side.  He's having a conversation with an actual AIDS patient, who also seems warm up to him. I challenge you to actually watch this, and the previous interview, all the way to the end, and not wonder if he's just a media scapegoat.