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{{short description|Portraying a corporation as ignoring social responsibility}}
{{Short description|Corporation that ignores social responsibility}}
[[File:Weyland-Yutani cryo-tube.jpg|thumb|Logo and slogan of the fictional evil Weyland-Yutani corporation from the ''[[Alien (franchise)|Alien]]'' franchise]]
[[File:Weyland-Yutani cryo-tube.jpg|thumb|Logo and slogan of the fictional evil Weyland-Yutani corporation from the ''[[Alien (franchise)|Alien]]'' franchise]]

An '''evil corporation''' is a [[wikt:trope|trope]] in popular culture that portrays a corporation as ignoring [[social responsibility]], [[morality]], [[ethics]], and sometimes [[law|laws]] in order to make profit for its shareholders.<ref name="allan">{{cite news | last=Allan | first=Angela |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/04/evil-corporation-trope/479295/ | title=How the 'Evil Corporation' Became a Pop-Culture Trope | work=[[The Atlantic]] | date=April 25, 2016 | access-date=January 11, 2017 }}</ref> In rare cases, the corporation may be well intentioned but extremist, engaging in [[noble cause corruption]].
An '''evil corporation''' is a [[wikt:trope|trope]] in popular culture that portrays a corporation as ignoring [[social responsibility]], [[morality]], [[ethics]], and sometimes [[law|laws]] in order to make profit for its shareholders.<ref name="allan">{{cite news | last=Allan | first=Angela |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/04/evil-corporation-trope/479295/ | title=How the 'Evil Corporation' Became a Pop-Culture Trope | work=[[The Atlantic]] | date=April 25, 2016 | access-date=January 11, 2017 }}</ref> In rare cases, the corporation may be well intentioned but extremist, engaging in [[noble cause corruption]].


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Evil corporations can be seen to represent the danger of combining [[capitalism]] with larger [[hubris]].<ref>{{cite news | last=McHenry | first=Jackson |url=https://www.gq.com/story/mr-robot-e-corp | title=''Mr. Robot''{{'}}s Chilling Message: Every Corp Is E Corp | work=[[GQ]] | date=August 26, 2015 | access-date=January 11, 2017 }}</ref>
Evil corporations can be seen to represent the danger of combining [[capitalism]] with larger [[hubris]].<ref>{{cite news | last=McHenry | first=Jackson |url=https://www.gq.com/story/mr-robot-e-corp | title=''Mr. Robot''{{'}}s Chilling Message: Every Corp Is E Corp | work=[[GQ]] | date=August 26, 2015 | access-date=January 11, 2017 }}</ref>


Some notable uses of the trope include Arasaka Corporation in the [[Cyberpunk (role-playing game)|''Cyberpunk'' franchise]], Atlas Corporation in ''[[Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare]]'', Weyland-Yutani in the [[Alien (franchise)|''Alien'' franchise]], InGen in the [[Jurassic Park|''Jurassic Park'' franchise]], [[RDA (Avatar)|Resources Development Administration (RDA)]] in the [[Avatar (franchise)|''Avatar'' franchise]], Umbrella Corporation in ''[[Resident Evil]]'', and E-Corp in ''[[Mr. Robot]]''.
==In real life==

⚫
In real life some corporations have been accused of being evil. To guard against such accusations, Google at one point in its history had the official motto "[[Don't be evil]]",<ref name="allan" /> however they abandoned that motto for being too obviously frivolous.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://gizmodo.com/google-removes-nearly-all-mentions-of-dont-be-evil-from-1826153393 | title=Google Removes 'Don't be Evil' Clause from Its Code of Conduct | date=18 May 2018 }}</ref> ''[[The New Yorker]]'' wrote that "many food activists consider [[Monsanto]] (now [[Bayer]]) to be ''the'' definitively evil corporation".<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Specter | first=Michael |url=http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/why-the-climate-corporation-sold-itself-to-monsanto | title=Why the climate corporation sold itself to Monsanto | magazine=[[The New Yorker]] | date=November 4, 2013 | access-date=January 23, 2017 }}</ref>
==Real-world usage==
⚫
Some real-world corporations have been accused of being evil. To guard against such accusations, [[Google]] once adopted the official motto "[[Don't be evil]]", although whether it was ever truly followed was a matter of debate - critics accused the company of "evil" acts such as secret [[data collection]] and violating customers' privacy, and political bias.<ref name="allan" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Cadie |date=2014-08-19 |title=Does 'Don't be evil' still apply to Google? |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2014/08/19/does-dont-be-evil-still-apply-to-google.html |access-date=2023-05-07 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> The motto was eventually moved to the very end of its [[code of conduct]], then removed entirely.<ref>{{cite web |last=Conger |first=Kate |date=18 May 2018 |title=Google Removes 'Don't be Evil' Clause from Its Code of Conduct |url=http://gizmodo.com/google-removes-nearly-all-mentions-of-dont-be-evil-from-1826153393 |website=[[Gizmodo]]}}</ref> ''[[The New Yorker]]'' wrote that "many food activists consider [[Monsanto]] (which later merged with [[Bayer]]) to be ''the'' definitively evil corporation".<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Specter | first=Michael |url=http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/why-the-climate-corporation-sold-itself-to-monsanto | title=Why the climate corporation sold itself to Monsanto | magazine=[[The New Yorker]] | date=November 4, 2013 | access-date=January 23, 2017 }}</ref>


''The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility'' wrote, "For many consumers, [[Walmart|Wal-Mart]] serves as the evil corporation prototype, but record numbers shop at the stores for low prices."<ref>{{cite book | author-last1=Kendall | author-first1=Brenden E. | author-last2=Gill | author-first2=Rebecca | author-last3=Cheney | author-first3=George | year=2007 | chapter=Consumer Activism and Corporate Social Responsibility: How Strong a Connection? | editor-last1=May | editor-first1=Steven K. | editor-last2=Cheney | editor-first2=George | title=The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility | publisher=Oxford University Press | page=258 | isbn=978-0-19-517883-8 }}</ref>
''The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility'' wrote, "For many consumers, [[Walmart|Wal-Mart]] serves as the evil corporation prototype, but record numbers shop at the stores for low prices."<ref>{{cite book | author-last1=Kendall | author-first1=Brenden E. | author-last2=Gill | author-first2=Rebecca | author-last3=Cheney | author-first3=George | year=2007 | chapter=Consumer Activism and Corporate Social Responsibility: How Strong a Connection? | editor-last1=May | editor-first1=Steven K. | editor-last2=Cheney | editor-first2=George | title=The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility | publisher=Oxford University Press | page=258 | isbn=978-0-19-517883-8 }}</ref>


In Japan, a committee of journalists and rights activists issues an annual "corporate raspberry award" known as Most Evil Corporation of the Year Award (also called the Black Company Award) to [[Black company (Japanese term)|a company "with a culture of overwork, discrimination and harassment"]].<ref>{{cite news | last=Kikuchi | first=Daisuke |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/12/23/national/social-issues/ad-giant-dentsu-declared-evil-corporation-year/ | title=Ad giant Dentsu declared Most Evil Corporation of the Year | work=[[The Japan Times]] | date=December 23, 2016 | access-date=January 27, 2017 }}</ref>
In Japan, a committee of journalists and rights activists issues an annual "corporate raspberry award" known as Most Evil Corporation of the Year Award (also called the Black Company Award) to [[Black company (Japanese term)|a company "with a culture of overwork, discrimination and harassment"]].<ref>{{cite news | last=Kikuchi | first=Daisuke |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/12/23/national/social-issues/ad-giant-dentsu-declared-evil-corporation-year/ | title=Ad giant Dentsu declared Most Evil Corporation of the Year | work=[[The Japan Times]] | date=December 23, 2016 | access-date=January 27, 2017 }}</ref>

After the [[Killing of Brian Thompson|shooting of Brian Thompson]] in December 2024, many Americans took to social media to express their outrage against [[health insurance]] companies and the [[Healthcare in the United States|American healthcare system]] overall - often using terms associated with the trope to describe aformentioned corporations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yancey-Bragg |first=Ken Alltucker, Jeanine Santucci and N'dea |title=Health insurance CEO shooting unleashes Internet vitriol aimed at industry |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/12/06/united-healthcare-ceo-killed-highlights-frustration-workers/76798694007/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Trethan |first=Phaedra |title=UnitedHealth CEO: 'We understand people’s frustrations' with health care system |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/12/13/unitedhealth-ceo-understand-frustrations-us-health-care/76966850007/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-12-12 |title=Anger After UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Killing Rattles Health Insurance Workers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/us/health-insurance-uhc-ceo-shooting.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241213225704/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/us/health-insurance-uhc-ceo-shooting.html |archive-date=2024-12-13 |access-date=2024-12-16 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fields |first=Ashleigh |date=2024-12-13 |title=UnitedHealth CEO acknowledges frustrations with health care system |url=https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5039630-unitedhealth-ceo-defends-healthcare/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
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* [[Criticisms of corporations]]
* [[Criticisms of corporations]]
* [[Cyberpunk]]
* [[Cyberpunk]]
* [[:Category:Ethically disputed business practices|Ethically disputed business practices (category)]]
* {{sectionlink|Human rights|Corporations}}
* {{sectionlink|Human rights|Corporations}}
* [[Karen Silkwood]]
* [[List of corporate collapses and scandals]]
* [[List of corporate collapses and scandals]]
* [[Megacorporation]]
* [[Megacorporation]]
* [[Military–industrial complex]]
* [[Military–industrial complex]]
* [[Multinational corporation]]
* [[Multinational corporation]]
* [[Organized crime]]
* [[Prison–industrial complex]]
* [[Prison–industrial complex]]
* [[Psychopathy in the workplace]]
* [[Psychopathy in the workplace]]
* [[Shareholder primacy]]
* [[Shareholder primacy]]
* [[Karen Silkwood]]
* [[State crime]]
* [[State-corporate crime]]

* ''[[The Corporation (2003 film)]]''
* [[The Corporation (2003 film)|''The Corporation'' (2003 film)]]
{{Div col end}}
{{Div col end}}


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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.mtv.com/news/2816024/evil-movie-corporations/ Sample list of evil corporations in film] at ''[[MTV]]''
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160424040158/http://www.mtv.com/news/2816024/evil-movie-corporations/ Sample list of evil corporations in film] at ''[[MTV]]''
*[http://www.pcworld.com/article/2999238/web-social/evilco-8-sinister-sci-fi-corporations-you-could-be-working-for-soon.html Sample list of evil corporations in science fiction] at ''[[PC World]]''
*[http://www.pcworld.com/article/2999238/web-social/evilco-8-sinister-sci-fi-corporations-you-could-be-working-for-soon.html Sample list of evil corporations in science fiction] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205102446/http://www.pcworld.com/article/2999238/web-social/evilco-8-sinister-sci-fi-corporations-you-could-be-working-for-soon.html |date=2017-02-05 }} at ''[[PC World]]''
*[http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/the-most-nefarious-corporations-in-sff/ Sample list of evil corporations in science fiction books] at [[Barnes & Noble]]
*[https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/the-most-nefarious-corporations-in-sff/ Sample list of evil corporations in science fiction books] at [[Barnes & Noble]]


{{Science fiction}}
{{Science fiction}}
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[[Category:Dystopian fiction]]
[[Category:Dystopian fiction]]
[[Category:Corruption]]
[[Category:Corruption]]
[[Category:Corporate conduct]]

Latest revision as of 19:58, 27 December 2024

Logo and slogan of the fictional evil Weyland-Yutani corporation from the Alien franchise

An evil corporation is a trope in popular culture that portrays a corporation as ignoring social responsibility, morality, ethics, and sometimes laws in order to make profit for its shareholders.[1] In rare cases, the corporation may be well intentioned but extremist, engaging in noble cause corruption.

In fiction

[edit]

The notion is "deeply embedded in the landscape of contemporary culture—populating films, novels, videogames, and more." The science fiction genre served as the initial background to portray corporations in this dystopian light.[1]

Evil corporations can be seen to represent the danger of combining capitalism with larger hubris.[2]

Some notable uses of the trope include Arasaka Corporation in the Cyberpunk franchise, Atlas Corporation in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Weyland-Yutani in the Alien franchise, InGen in the Jurassic Park franchise, Resources Development Administration (RDA) in the Avatar franchise, Umbrella Corporation in Resident Evil, and E-Corp in Mr. Robot.

Real-world usage

[edit]

Some real-world corporations have been accused of being evil. To guard against such accusations, Google once adopted the official motto "Don't be evil", although whether it was ever truly followed was a matter of debate - critics accused the company of "evil" acts such as secret data collection and violating customers' privacy, and political bias.[1][3] The motto was eventually moved to the very end of its code of conduct, then removed entirely.[4] The New Yorker wrote that "many food activists consider Monsanto (which later merged with Bayer) to be the definitively evil corporation".[5]

The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility wrote, "For many consumers, Wal-Mart serves as the evil corporation prototype, but record numbers shop at the stores for low prices."[6]

In Japan, a committee of journalists and rights activists issues an annual "corporate raspberry award" known as Most Evil Corporation of the Year Award (also called the Black Company Award) to a company "with a culture of overwork, discrimination and harassment".[7]

After the shooting of Brian Thompson in December 2024, many Americans took to social media to express their outrage against health insurance companies and the American healthcare system overall - often using terms associated with the trope to describe aformentioned corporations.[8][9][10][11]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Allan, Angela (April 25, 2016). "How the 'Evil Corporation' Became a Pop-Culture Trope". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  2. ^ McHenry, Jackson (August 26, 2015). "Mr. Robot's Chilling Message: Every Corp Is E Corp". GQ. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  3. ^ Thompson, Cadie (2014-08-19). "Does 'Don't be evil' still apply to Google?". CNBC. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  4. ^ Conger, Kate (18 May 2018). "Google Removes 'Don't be Evil' Clause from Its Code of Conduct". Gizmodo.
  5. ^ Specter, Michael (November 4, 2013). "Why the climate corporation sold itself to Monsanto". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  6. ^ Kendall, Brenden E.; Gill, Rebecca; Cheney, George (2007). "Consumer Activism and Corporate Social Responsibility: How Strong a Connection?". In May, Steven K.; Cheney, George (eds.). The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility. Oxford University Press. p. 258. ISBN 978-0-19-517883-8.
  7. ^ Kikuchi, Daisuke (December 23, 2016). "Ad giant Dentsu declared Most Evil Corporation of the Year". The Japan Times. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  8. ^ Yancey-Bragg, Ken Alltucker, Jeanine Santucci and N'dea. "Health insurance CEO shooting unleashes Internet vitriol aimed at industry". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-12-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Trethan, Phaedra. "UnitedHealth CEO: 'We understand people's frustrations' with health care system". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  10. ^ "Anger After UnitedHealthcare CEO's Killing Rattles Health Insurance Workers". 2024-12-12. Archived from the original on 2024-12-13. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  11. ^ Fields, Ashleigh (2024-12-13). "UnitedHealth CEO acknowledges frustrations with health care system". The Hill. Retrieved 2024-12-16.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Decker, Mark T. (2016). "Ridley Scott Takes On Apparently Evil Corporations in Alien, Blade Runner, and Prometheus". Industrial Society and the Science Fiction Blockbuster: Social Critique in Films of Lucas, Scott and Cameron. McFarland. pp. 74–110. ISBN 978-0-7864-9911-3.
  • Sloane, S.B. (2002). Organizations in the Movies: The Legend of the Dysfunctional System. University Press of America. ISBN 978-0-7618-2434-3.
[edit]
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