The Four Book Summary

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Have you ever wondered how the four greatest companies of our time rose to power? Do you know what their secrets to success are? 

In The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google, Scott Galloway looks at what it takes for a business to be successful using the secrets that allowed the big four to rise to power.

In this book, Galloway shows readers how Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google achieved their immense success and how they have spread the message of being pioneers for the future.

Key Insights

The Four is a major part of modern life, even if their presence is not always well-meaning

As humans, we all have needs. And between Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google, these companies look to meet those needs.

Google gives us answers to all of our questions. Facebook lets us interact with friends and family, giving us a sense of connection and love. Apple is more about sex appeal. And finally, there is Amazon which helps us with our consumption needs, allowing us to get many of the things our heart desires.

Easily an example of the Four Horsemen, these four companies have certainly helped to change the world. While many people might even say that these companies have improved our lives, they are not as benevolent as one might believe.

All four companies have done good things to change the world. They make things more accessible to more people. And yet, there are also downsides to all four of these companies, with Amazon not paying sales tax, Facebook selling people’s information, and even Apple refusing to follow court orders.

Amazon might get us all the things we need and want, but it is also ruining its competition and destroying jobs

In 2016, half of all online growth was thanks to Amazon. And every year the number of households with Amazon Prime continues to grow. In fact, in 2017 alone nearly 52 percent of households had a Prime account.

What led to Amazon’s success? The fact that it appeals to people’s gathering urges.

One of society's most popular activities is said to be buying and hoarding things, which Amazon allows us all to do. You can buy almost anything on Amazon and have it delivered to your door without having to go anywhere.

Much of Amazon’s success is due to its size. It can reach millions of people, but in doing so it has destroyed other companies. Because of the company’s size, it is able to undersell so many other people and businesses out there.

Amazon has been able to put many of their competitors out of business, which has destroyed thousands of jobs. As they have destroyed jobs, they have not created a lot of jobs in the process. Thanks to mechanization and robots, many humans are being put out of work.

One estimate the book points out is that in 2017 Amazon’s growth actually eliminated 76,000 jobs.

Apple is a luxury brand that appeals to our need to be special while making their own rules

In 2015 Apple was asked by the FBI to...

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