. Canada provides raw materials—timber, oil, and steel—at a discount due to proximity. American firms then transform these inputs into high-margin products like iPhones and specialized chips.
While the dollar value of trade might appear balanced on a ledger, the shareholder value is heavily skewed in favor of the U.S. A dollar of raw Canadian timber does not carry the same economic weight or price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio as a dollar of American software or digital services. By threatening
with tariffs, the administration is effectively attacking its own supply chain and fraying a world order that has fueled middle-class growth since the 1990s. This is not a correction of asymmetry; it is a misunderstanding of how modern value chains operate.
utilize a specific, aggressive playbook: underprice the service to consolidate the market, then hike prices far beyond the rate of inflation once the consumer is locked in. The friction of daily life has been replaced by the friction of unsubscribing. Analysis shows that
has successfully raised prices by 7% to 10% annually, despite inflation hovering much lower.
Scott Galloway on Trump vs. Canada and Whether He’ll Sell His Big Tech Stocks | Office Hours
For high-frequency users, the cost of these "invisible" services can balloon to $35,000 a year or more. The danger lies in the ease of spending. Digital platforms make it so effortless to consume that users lose track of the capital outflow. This creates a massive concentration of power within a handful of firms that now represent roughly 40% of the
. Protests and legal challenges often fail to move the needle, but a spike in interest rates or a market downturn forces a pivot. This gives the consumer a specific form of leverage: the mass cancellation of subscription services.
subscription can have the same market impact as five households cutting their grocery spending to zero. This is the "soft tissue" of corporate America. By targeting high-multiple stocks through collective unsubscribing, citizens can signal to financial institutions that they must speak up against destabilizing policies.
The Ruthless Efficacy of Focus
In an era of side hustles and fragmented attention, the most undervalued asset is focus. True economic power comes from becoming the top 1% in a specific niche. This requires a transition from "dancing at different parties" to doubling down on a single superpower. Success is built on small, daily acts of discipline rather than broad, shallow involvement in multiple projects. Saying no is often more profitable than saying yes, as it frees up human capital to provide the ammunition needed to dominate a chosen field. Whether in trade, investing, or career development, depth remains the ultimate competitive advantage.
