My latest column for the Minnesota Star Tribune is out now. It pertains to one of the most important companies in the Northland: Minnesota Power.
I never claimed to be an economist or an MBA. But I’ve listened to a lot of people of that description over the years and have come to the conclusion that they’re just humans. Smart, yes, and knowledgable, but prone to weaknesses like pride, wishful thinking and fear — same as anyone else.
I’m not one who subscribes to the notion that we know better than the experts just because we’re “regular people.” We don’t. Regular people are also prone to weaknesses, especially when our assumptions go beyond our knowledge.
But humans share one great ability, both an individuals and as a collective: we can spot and predict patterns. Applied to modern times, we could predict what might happen when the world’s largest hedge fund buys a regional electricity supplier. It’s not all bad. But it’s the end of something local in favor of something powerful and distant.
That’s come to mind a lot these days as our nation tips into disorder, along with its economy. Things are tightening up. Companies that need to modernize are in a tough spot. They need money, and the only outfits that can offer then money are essentially Greek gods — unfathomably bigger and more powerful than even “regular” corporations.
Do you trust the Greek gods? I mean, have you read any mythology?
Read more in my column, “Capital for companies, unintended consequences for us,” in the Monday, April 21, 2025 Minnesota Star Tribune.
Aaron J. Brown is a columnist and member of the editorial board for the Minnesota Star Tribune. His new book about Hibbing Mayor Victor Power and his momentous fight against the world’s largest corporation will be out soon.
