- 'Cause I want you to have that giant platform,
I want the black Google-sized company,
black Facebook-size platform to exist
with a billion users and it being
something that's just a foundational part of society.
When I think about those companies, though,
you think about Google, you think about Facebook,
you think about Amazon,
I want to,
I want your insight into
whether there's a way that you can have
a giant tech company that doesn't make its money selling
people's personal info, or exploiting, you know,
labor and, you know, killing off retail.
Like, I wonder if you have any insight
or any ideas about how you can exist
at that scale and not be predatory almost by nature.
- Yeah, I would say there's certainly a way
to get to that scale,
now that level of profit, no.
- Gotcha.
- So, I would say Wikipedia's at that scale, right?
Like, there's plenty of platforms that are at the scale
but aren't, like, white supremacy bad.
- Got you.
- (laughs) You know?
So, I think that
when you start talking about profits,
you gotta ask yourself,
well how are we getting these profits?
Like, there's only so,
like Apple is sitting on more money
than the U.S. Government in cash.
Cash!
Right, like, how?
Why?
Where did that come,
like, what?
So, um,
yes.
That's my answer,
is we can get to the scale,
we can get to that level of people
engaging, using, connecting,
without necessarily sacrificing the impact
and the original mission of the company,
and I think that has to do with not being greedy
with the profits.
- Right, okay.
I get that.
So in a way, it's about the relationship
that the company has to its users.
- Right, right.
That's fantastic. - Okay, thank you.
- And I think it's corporate greed.
I mean, I really do.
I think, you know,
when you look at these salaries that people get paid,
and the pressure that people are under to turn profits
quarter, over quarter, over quarter,
it's just like, why?
You know?
Like, so, maybe I'm not there, so I can't see it,
I'll give it that,
but, we're a very long way away, and until then,
I'm gonna stick with doing good.
- Nice.
- And with that, we know you gotta go,
I want to give you a chance real quick to give
a couple of shout outs if you want.
Shout outs to people who are making similar moves
to yourself in your industry, but also just
anybody doing anything that makes you happy
that you would like to share with anybody listening.
- Couple shout outs: one, shout out to Mike,
for calling me about how Funny or Die can help.
- [Together] Mike Farah, that is. Yes, indeed.
- You know, we wouldn't be here if he hadn't
just taken a chance as a white heterosexual man
to just say, what should we do?
You know?
And I think,
I like that white people are doing that right now,
so shout out to Mike.
- (laughs)
- And, two, I want to say shout out to actually two people,
Charlamagne and Angela Rye.
I think that they have both been carrying a ton of weight
for our community lately.
I can't even imagine,
I mean, I was just texting with Angela earlier today,
like, the level
of care and intensity
that they've both been operating lately
is phenomenal, and I don't this we give them enough roses.
And then,
yeah, I mean, I also would just shout out my team.
You know, like, my team has been carrying
a ton of weight, as well.
We had to make budget cuts because of Covid
and ad revenue going down, and it's been brutal.
But they've been showing up more than ever,
and I'm just so grateful to have a beautiful, smart,
hardworking, dedicated team.
- Well we're grateful to be able to be involved with you
and your company.
It's just,
it's inspiring to listen to you speak about
how you think about what your company can be,
and its place in the world,
and I'm so glad that you think at the scale you think at.
- Yes!
- And it's, you know, that's something
that I think would inspire anybody.
- Yeah, I like the way you think!
You make me feel galvanized!
You know what I'm saying?
So, you're kinda like the oracle,
that's how I'm gonna see you from now on.
It's like, oh!
What does Morgan think?
One day, you're gonna be like,
why is he calling me?
(laughs)
Morgan Debaun, everybody,
thank you so much for being here.
Obviously, Morgan can be followed on Twitter, @morgandebaun
D-E-B-A-U-N.
(air whooshes)