In a country where so many economic and political problems can be traced to short-term thinking, to self-defeating obsessions with quarterly earnings reports and 24-hour news cycles, Jeff Bezos’ willingness to think big and remain steadfast is refreshing and worth applauding (especially if you are a Washington Post employee.) But it invites a huge question, one that is not sufficiently addressed in “The Everything Store.” What is the long-term impact of Amazon on us? Where does the monomaniacal focus on delivering low-priced goods to consumers as quickly and easily as possible lead society in the long run?

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