Darkstone Code-Chapter 972 - 970: Even Capitalists Would Be Ashamed Unto Suicide
The interview continued.
"Mr. Lynch, many consider you a legend because you’ve achieved in a few years what many couldn’t accomplish in a lifetime. How do you feel about that?"
Momo looked at Lynch. Calling him a legend was not flattery; he truly was the brightest legend of this era, without comparison.
Many people keep saying that opportunities to get rich no longer exist in this era.
It’s not like the initial era when the entire Federation was filled with "gold," and any random business could quickly accumulate incredible wealth.
Whether it was legitimate business or those not so legitimate ones.
Even just buying a few plots of land and holding onto them could amount to significant wealth now.
The middle era was the same, with the acceleration of industry and progress in science leading every sector into a phase of rapid development. Opportunities to access wealth became abundant, and many ordinary people became wealthy due to some small chances.
People’s view now is that getting rich was easy before, not like now when every industry is saturated.
At this time, entrepreneurship is essentially like fighting for food from someone else’s bowl, facing not only business competition but also retaliations from opponents.
Many believe that this era will no longer see any wealth myths, but Lynch in just three years showed people that making money isn’t particularly difficult.
As long as you have dreams, motivation, a little inspiration, and courage, everyone has the potential to get rich.
People looked at him with some excitement. None knew exactly how much money he had now, but surely, he was very wealthy.
Lynch thought for a moment, "You all know that three years ago, I broke up with my girlfriend, and her mother took her away from me."
"Before that day arrived, I didn’t think there was anything in my life I needed to change. But after that moment ended, I realized I and my life needed to change a bit."
"People need to have dreams and the courage to realize them. The biggest difference between me and you, and many others, is just that I tried to take my first step."
"There are many firsts in life—first love, first breakup, first startup. You have to bravely challenge the past and your cowardly self, and then overcome them."
"You have to do that because you need to change your life, and if you don’t, nothing will change."
"Courage, determination, these are my thoughts—the reasons for my success..."
"Overcome the fear in your heart, and you can embrace the future."
These words, when spoken by a vagrant and by a successful person like Lynch, have completely different effects.
When the vagrant said them, it was just them talking nonsense.
But when Lynch said them, it was the secret of success, inspirational, and soul-stirring.
Everyone started to applaud again, and Momo joined in the clapping. After a while, Momo’s questions suddenly became tricky, even setting a trap for Lynch with the previous question.
"Wonderful thoughts, Mr. Lynch. I’m very curious, during your success, was there anyone who went bankrupt because of you and ended up wandering the streets?"
"During your operations, have you ever exploited or oppressed workers, and did you provide them enough care?"
The atmosphere in the studio suddenly became somewhat unusually heavy. Such questions often not only are difficult to answer but also sting some civilians’ hearts.
In front of these capitalists, they have no guarantees or sense of security. This question can easily heighten the conflicts between capitalists and workers.
Such sharp questions align with "Don’t Talk About Current Affairs"’s style. People also want to see such topics, though sometimes they do get hurt by them.
Previously, a capitalist was asked such a question. At the time, the capitalist said something very palatable, but soon Momo produced a series of evidence, overturning the capitalist’s "performance," causing the capitalist to leave the show angrily.
The same question was given to Lynch this time; how will he respond?
Everyone is waiting.
Lynch also realized then why Momo had suggested looking over the script during his makeup session. It was both a kind reminder and a trap!
Because knowing these questions beforehand means one would prepare answers in advance, which is exactly what the show aims to achieve—
When facing such embarrassing questions, if a guest can answer fluently, the audience won’t think they’re quick to answer because they’re well-prepared. They would only think these people are used to lying.
And having it debunked would give people a very unique feeling, with lies being exposed on the spot; the show’s effect is excellent that way, but the guest’s experience certainly wouldn’t be good.
Lynch didn’t see them. He didn’t know these things and naturally didn’t prepare in advance. He was thinking seriously.
"Difficult to answer, Mr. Lynch?" Momo looked at Lynch. "Or is it that you can’t remember how many people went bankrupt and ended up on the streets during this process?"
The audience had some suppressed gasps. For Federation people, there are two things they cannot endure.
The second is losing freedom.
The first is personal financial bankruptcy.
If someone does this to them, they would surely hate that person.
Lynch glanced at Momo and smiled, "Indeed, I was thinking, but about something different from what you said."
He shifted his sitting posture to make himself more comfortable, then took out a pack of cigarettes, "May I?"
Momo nodded, "Of course, it’s your freedom."
Everywhere exuded the sweet scent of freedom; even smoking on screen was allowed, this is the free Federation.
Lynch lit a cigarette, took a puff, exhaling slightly through his nose first, then through his mouth, licking his lips, "There were about a dozen gentlemen who went bankrupt during this process, but they weren’t ordinary people; they were capitalists."
"The most famous is Mr. Herbert, who not only went bankrupt but also jumped to his death."
Momo interrupted him, "I know about this. I heard he owed you and the bank a lot of money that he couldn’t repay, so he chose death."
Lynch shook his head, "That’s just part of it; he owed many people money. He could only escape this way."
"However, in these years, not one ordinary person experienced similar occurrences because of me, or to communicate in a simpler way, if I held a sickle, I wouldn’t swing it at ordinary people."
"On the contrary, I come from the lower strata of society myself. I know how hard their lives are, and I wouldn’t make their lives more difficult."
"Conversely, I will, within my capabilities, provide them more help."
"If any of you have noticed the policies in Sabin City, you’d find that the promotion of cottage industries was initiated by me."
"During the hardest times in the first two years, I gave more than 50,000 families job opportunities, even though my company’s size wasn’t that great at the time."
"At least nearly 200,000 people directly or indirectly benefited from the changes that those jobs brought, letting them afford their bills, and no one was evicted from their homes because they couldn’t pay."
After seriously listening, people started applauding again. In fact, the audience even stood up to show their respect for Lynch.
Saving so many people, he must be a really good person. Everyone hopes to meet a good person in difficult times, not a malicious one.
After the applause ended, Momo gave Lynch a somewhat skeptical smile, "People really like you."
"Because I am real and sincere, I disdain using lies to deceive others to achieve my hidden agendas. I am who I am, speaking what’s true."
Momo nodded, "One more question, I noticed... In Sabin City, you took over some workers’ houses through certain means, is that true?"
"Yes!" Lynch admitted without hesitation, nodding, causing another wave of gasps from the audience. Some even stood up, gesturing contemptuously and uttering profanities.
Momo didn’t control the scene because it’s needed for the show. Only when the audience’s emotions are stirred up, the ratings will be high, and there will be topics to discuss. She wouldn’t immediately stop it.
After the boos persisted for a while, Momo said again, "I’ve been watching you, there’s no change in your expression, you keep smiling. Do you think this is a good thing or something to be proud of?"
Lynch nodded again, "Of course, but I need to make a clarification."
The room fell silent again. Lynch looked at the audience, then at the camera lens.
"The incident started because these workers stole materials from their factory, secretly produced a pile of goods, and then sold them. They even split the money among themselves, which is theft."
"The factory operator filed a lawsuit against them. Given the situation in the past two years, everyone knows they quickly used up the money they gained illegally—they couldn’t pay it back, and the court was about to auction off their houses by law."
"I bought those houses..."
The audience already began to murmur; if what Lynch said was true, then in most people’s eyes, these individuals, while sympathetic, indeed made a mistake.
Sometimes people are unreasonable, but mostly, people’s morals are correct.
Lynch continued, "I didn’t evict them from their homes. On the contrary, I gave them a stable job."
"They can earn back these houses with their salaries, paying a small monthly fee like an installment payment."
"From a factual standpoint, you could say I took over their houses, but emotionally, I don’t think I did anything wrong."
"If I hadn’t done so, the bank would have evicted them, and they’d have had to live in the park with their families, becoming one of the city’s homeless."
"I spared them from this and even gave them a job. Did I do anything wrong?"
As soon as he finished, a burly man with a bushy beard stood up, "Mr. Lynch, we support you!"
"Thank you!"
