Kara Swisher · 37:29
Here and doing a really good job. My kids are watching Disney plus a lot now, which is interesting, and they've also moved to Apple Music from Spotify. So it'll be interesting to see if the big guys can come back and reclaim their crowns in this area.
Scott Galloway · 37:41
Yeah. And and a 100% it will be. The media has become whether it's a company masquerading as a platform that's really a media company, media, and as you've said, propaganda, has become this it's become even more powerful and more important. And we never realized that it could be weaponized to this extent, but it's it's gonna be... It's it's just almost sort of impossible to figure out where it goes from here. But it's been a... Look, it's been a great it's been a great ten years for what I'll call creativity around around media.
Kara Swisher · 38:11
At And the same time, we've gotten all this shitty reality television, which has, of course, brought us Donald Trump. Anyway, so win and fail of the decade, Scott. If you had to pick, could you pick one big win and one big fail of the decade as it pertains to tech and business? I will go first if you like.
Scott Galloway · 38:29
I would like you to go first.
Kara Swisher · 38:30
I'm gonna give it to Apple for... You know, Steve Jobs died in 2011, and I think they've done okay. Like, they've done... Like, everyone was sort of, like, saying, oh, now Apple was going to die with him, and I think they've done a really interesting job. Now people could quibble with stuff, but they've really grown in certain ways. They haven't been crazy creative in the way you think of them, but I think they've really done it. I think Tim Cook's done a very nice job of of running that company. And it's... You know, its valuation is huge. It's gone up, I think, 70% this year or something like that. And the big fail, even though it's a financial success, has to be Facebook to me, and and and the the awful turn it's taken and inability to really recognize it... Its need to be responsible. I hope it does. I have great hopes. Like Nancy Pelosi said about Donald Trump, I pray for Mark Zuckerberg that he will begin to turn this company to a more, dulcet direction for our society. Thank you.
Scott Galloway · 39:27
Wow. So just as James Carvel said in the movie, Old Skill, when Will Ferrell provided a response to a debate question and James Carvel responded, That was perfect, I think he nailed it. I think Apple's renaissance I think all this notion that Steve Jobs was a Jesus figure and no one could run the company but Jobs, and then this, you know, the first openly gay CEO of a Fortune 500 company quietly tripled the market capitalization and made Apple I don't wanna say relevant again, but increasingly relevant. Apple is just and then, you know, opened stores that totally that went into this dying medium, went vertical, created these temples for the brand.
Kara Swisher · 40:09
Air pods.
Scott Galloway · 40:10
As they realized that broadcast was starting to lose its effectiveness, transferred money out of broadcast advertising into $7,000,000,000 in leases, which was arguably one of the greatest unlocks in the history of business. And then I think this dual class, young, broken sociopath and his $2,000,000,000 beard that have, in my opinion, levied more damage than almost any company in modern history and still get to decide what are the algorithms that present the content, that nudge the population of the Southern Hemisphere one way or another. I think Facebook is and Mark Zuckerberg are the most dangerous organization and individual alive today. So, yeah, I think look, I think you nailed it. Apple and Facebook, the wins and fails of the last decade.
Kara Swisher · 40:58
Opposites too. They're kind of interesting because Tim obviously, you know, has been outspoken comparatively. What's interesting about Apple to me, you know, it's kind of a win for the olds, you know, because they have they have... By the way, they could have retired. Right? Everything could have just closed down after Steve Jobs died, and they would have been hits. They they had they had hit after hit after hit after hit, but they continue. That's what's amazing to me is these... This is a group of people, which you have all... There's all kinds of issues at Apple around workplace and things like that, and they they continue to have controversy surrounding their App Store and things like that. But in general, it's... And, you know, their taxes. Come on. Like, they got a tax. You know, he's sort of kissing up to Trump a little bit more than he should. But but it's it's really interesting that this is an older group of people who've been together for a very long time and, again, have had so many hits. And I don't wanna say it's like the Rolling Stones because I don't know. I'm trying to think of, like, what would be the rock bit. Like, it just continues to make good music. Like, it's really kind of fascinating, that where you get that when you're that rich and you've done that... Had that much success, why you keep succeeding? And so I I... That's heartening as an older older lady. Think about a
Scott Galloway · 42:01
lot wanting to be relevant, wanting to go to St. Bart's, party with younger women. Do I need to go on?
Kara Swisher · 42:06
He doesn't go... Tim Cook doesn't go to St. You'll never see Tim Cook at St. Bart's. I'm sorry to tell you. No. Okay. That's not his... He's a very simple, man, I think. I think he's... Has a very... He likes football from Alabama. Think that's where he went to college. He talks about football a lot. Yeah. And he just loves Apple. I think he just... I I don't see that. Like, he he doesn't really strike me as... I mean, he has very nice sweaters, but, otherwise, I don't see a lot of spendy spendiness from him. But, anyway, it'll be interesting to see if if if Zuckerberg can redeem himself despite these... You know, like they say, I make a lot of money. So what? I must be right. I... That's not a good enough excuse anymore as far as I'm concerned. Good for you. You built a great business by by by hurting other people, and I think they have to really start to... It would be really lovely to see that in the next decade for him.
Scott Galloway · 42:55
Not gonna happen. About as much a chance of that happening as you getting me that rabbit coat you keep promising. And all that, it's dangerous. This
Kara Swisher · 43:02
I have hope for Mark's promise.
Scott Galloway · 43:04
Me back to a terrible and awful place when I was eight years old, and we used to go to the Mission Valley Mall in Laguna Niguel. And my dad would take my mom in, let her try in the rabbit coat. It was $58. It was coming for Christmas. And before you know it
Kara Swisher · 43:16
I'll get you a coat.
Scott Galloway · 43:17
You know it, my dad is living with an flight attendant from Continental Airlines, Kara.
Speaker · 43:21
We've been It takes me to a bad place. Mark Zuckerberg is
Kara Swisher · 43:24
not gonna be team. Story for the decade. Let's put it away. Let's put a little
Speaker · 43:28
box here. Attorney that does little bit junk here for you.
Kara Swisher · 43:32
That's what we're gonna do. We're not discussing the rabbit code anymore. It's not happening. It's done. We're done. We're gonna have a little we're gonna have a little, like, funeral.
Scott Galloway · 43:39
He bought her a food presser... A food processor. What Listen me. And what
Kara Swisher · 43:43
are shocker?
Scott Galloway · 43:44
He's been
Speaker · 43:44
married four times. He's been married four times. What are shocker?
— Predictions segment begins —
Kara Swisher · 43:47
Prediction. And then we have to close. We have a really good close. Our parents are gonna talk about us, speaking of our parents, speaking of that dad of yours who you just impugned. Let's talk. What is your big prediction? And then we gotta get out of here. I got things to do, Scott. I got decades. I got my decade to live.
Scott Galloway · 44:02
My big prediction? Yeah. Oh, my big prediction is that Big Tech is up. I mean, my prediction for 2020 that we're gonna see another 20% or 30% increase in the market capitalization of Big Tech. I just don't see anything slowing them down. Mean, the market might crash, but they'll outperform any those four companies or five companies will outperform every other sector. I just don't see anything getting in their way right now. Everyone keeps waiting for their fall, I don't see it. We'll see.
Speaker · 44:37
Oh, all right.
Scott Galloway · 44:38
Not that
Kara Swisher · 44:38
exciting. So do have to be back to kissing their ass? Is that what you're gonna do?
Scott Galloway · 44:41
Well, no, I think they're terrible people, and I'd like to see one or more of them in an orange jumpsuit, but from a shareholder perspective, I just don't see unregulated monopolies make great investments, and they continue to be unregulated monopolies. And I, you know, I vote with my feet. People say, well, it's hypocritical of you to be disparaging in these companies, and then to invest in them and finance their growth. And my feeling is I'm a capitalist. I don't wanna be some professor and tie dye barking at the moon. Everyone has an obligation to for economic security. But effectively, if you did not invest in these, like these companies and Microsoft and Netflix and like, I forget what the other crazy performer was, Domino's, like, was the best performing stock other than Netflix, you've been kind of shut out from the massive increase in the S and P over the last ten years. And I just don't see that changing for the next one or two years. I think these companies are gonna continue. Every time I use them, every time I look at their moves, every time I see an Amazon van, every time I order something seamlessly off of off of Instagram now, I I think, oh my goodness, These companies, they're just getting their momentum. The flywheel, the mother of all flywheels, the most valuable company in the world... Look at my prediction, but the most valuable company in the world is AWS once it's spun.
Kara Swisher · 45:57
AWS.
Scott Galloway · 45:58
It's gonna be the most valuable company. Who can't own a share of AWS? Who will not be able to not own shares in the biggest cloud company in the world? Those are gonna be the shares you give your granddaughter at the christening. Those are gonna be the shares that every pension, every alternative investment company in the world has to own regardless of the valuation. So anyways, my other my
Kara Swisher · 46:21
other thing.
Scott Galloway · 46:21
AWS, most valuable company.
Kara Swisher · 46:23
Rich and insulting the tech companies. Very nice.
— Predictions segment ends —
Scott Galloway · 46:26
There you go. That's how the dog rolls. He's complex.
Kara Swisher · 46:29
Let me just... Then let me use the opportunity to say, who raised you? And we're gonna find out in just a second. Before we head out for the decade, Rebecca also called our parents to talk about how far we've come over the decade. We're... First, let's hear a cameo from my mother, Lucky Carney. Lucretia Carney. Go for it.
Speaker · 46:48
Kara is her own person, as you know, much to my chagrin at times. Yes. She was wearing the aviator sunglasses. She was known for that. She hasn't changed much. I didn't think she would be as famous, I guess, as she has become. Kara, I am so proud of you. And while we disagree politically, I love you, and I couldn't be more proud or happy for you at this time of your life.
Kara Swisher · 47:18
Oh my god. Nice. Joyce does this. That's nice. She's, like, evil half the time and then pulls something like this up.
Scott Galloway · 47:23
That's nice. That's gonna make you feel good.
Kara Swisher · 47:25
Yeah. It does. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But I don't like her political things. I do think Fox News has changed her brain. I really, truly do. It's like, I'm gonna... When she dies someday, I'm gonna have it... I'm gonna donate it to science to see if there's Fox, you know, like CTE, there's Fox syndrome.
Scott Galloway · 47:39
Yeah. But parents loving you and being proud of you. That's 99% there. You're 99%. You can argue over the other one
Kara Swisher · 47:44
for She always shows up. My mother always shows up. She she always shows up, I gotta say.
Scott Galloway · 47:47
And she looks good.
Kara Swisher · 47:48
She does.
Scott Galloway · 47:48
She looks good.
Kara Swisher · 47:49
She does look good. Now a word from Tom Galloway
Scott Galloway · 47:53
Oh my god. Here we go.
Kara Swisher · 47:53
The dad of Scott.
Speaker · 47:55
The biggest change I see in Scott is going to the other end of the way he has changed. His whole family life now is like a is like a little closed circle. They don't they don't go out in a lot. It's it's it's like a little circular group. There's the Yada, the boys, and him. And it's that little closed loop like a family living in a prairie. But Scott cares very deeply for my well-being. Okay? And that he gives me the benefit of his intellect and helping me to see things clearly in my life. He makes me take a step back from my impulses and look at things in a more balanced way.
Scott Galloway · 48:51
That's unfair.
Kara Swisher · 48:52
Oh my god.
Scott Galloway · 48:52
That this is so manipulative. Irish? He's Scottish. Glasgow. Sandhills, Glasgow. Scottish. That's unfair. By the way, that was clearly
Kara Swisher · 49:00
his choice.
Scott Galloway · 49:00
Was clearly the dementia speaking. We're... Dad, that's it. We're putting you in the Happy Valley active living room.
Kara Swisher · 49:06
I didn't know your dad was Scotty from Star Trek. That's amazing.
Scott Galloway · 49:10
Yeah. That's him. By the way, a Scottish accent and good looks. No wonder he's been he's been married four times.
Kara Swisher · 49:16
You're a closed loop. You're a closed loop. I like that. That's lovely. Oh, look at that. Look at that. Your dad, you just insulted him, and he said a loving and touching thing about you. How do
Scott Galloway · 49:24
you feel? You
Kara Swisher · 49:26
have all hearts, Scott. That's... I think that's what he was saying. I believe that's what he was saying, and you've become a great family man. Is that is that correct? Is that the correct translation of that?
Scott Galloway · 49:33
Yeah. Says the man who's been married four times. Anyways, but, yeah, that that was very emotionally manipulative, and I think we should move on or I'm gonna start crying because you know I will cry.
Speaker · 49:42
Alright. You know I
Kara Swisher · 49:43
will cry. I love when you cry. I when you cry. It's so
Scott Galloway · 49:46
tough. What I'll never you talk about the vagina. I don't know about you. It's something you get there. I have I have full... I did not cry from the age of 34 to 44. Now I cry all the time. I've embraced the sloppy part of me. I like it. I like the sloppy, Kara.
Speaker · 49:58
Not me, baby.
Kara Swisher · 50:00
I'm not gonna be crying.
Scott Galloway · 50:01
That was nice.
Speaker · 50:02
Nice. It's still around. The next How old is mom? How old is Lexi?
Kara Swisher · 50:05
85 or something. Something. Somewhere in there.
Scott Galloway · 50:07
Yeah. My dad's 89.
Kara Swisher · 50:09
Yeah. Anyway. Alright, Scott. On that touching note, it's time for us to go. We're gonna take a break for the last days of two thousand nineteen to reflect, but we'll be back in the next decade starting 01/03/2020. Mean... I like 2020. It feels good. 2020. It feels it feels, like, fresh. It's gonna be fresh, Scott. You'll see. Things will turn around. Meanwhile, you can reach us by using hashtag pivot podcast or emailing us questions at pivot@voxmedia.com. By the way, we recorded a Recode Decode episode about our favorite moments in the podcast in 2019. Listen to it on Monday, December 30 before the new decade begins. Scott, happy decade.
Scott Galloway · 50:50
Yeah. Likewise, Kara. Congratulations on all your success and all the relationships Thank in your
Kara Swisher · 50:54
you so much for doing this podcast with me. It is a great pleasure and honor to do so. Alright. And we will do more in the next decade in 2020 as Barbara... 2020, as Barbara Walters says. Today's show was produced by Rebecca Sinanis. Eric Anderson is Pivot's executive producer. Thanks also to Rebecca Castro and Drew Burrows. Thanks again to all the friends of Pivot who lent their voice to this show. Make sure you subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, or if you're an Android user, check us out on Spotify or, frankly, wherever you listen to podcasts. If you liked our show, please recommend it to a friend. Thanks for listening to Pivot from Vox Media. Scott and I will be back next week for another breakdown of all things tech and business.
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