FedEx founder Fred Smith, a Marine Corps veteran who revolutionized package delivery, dies at 80

[drmeow]

2. "became something of an economic bellwether because so many other companies rely on it"

A manufactured reliance. So many modern "conveniences" don't make our lives better, they just increase the level of demands on us:

Instead of saving time:
Washing machine and dryer - increase the expectation on how frequently clothes should be cleaned
Vacuum cleaners - increase the expectation of how clean our floors need to be
Overnight delivery - allow leaders to push right up to the last minute and then stress rank and file workers to rush, rush, rush under pressure to get it into the next day delivery pick up
Cell phones - the people we work for expect us to be available anywhere at any time
Smart phones - respond to written communication immediately

Part of the reason humans are so stressed, angry, and unhealthy is because the rich, ambitious, and those who demand instant gratification have created a world where we always have to get something done for them immediately, at the last minute, and on their terms.