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Why are you called The Motte?
A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently,
it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey",
originally identified by
philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial
but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens
this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for
the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired
propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."
On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.
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Notes -
Like everyone here, my feels also say you're wrong. But let's take a look at some reals.
Here's the top 20 from the Fortune 500 in 1955.
GM - still around
Exxon - still around
US Steel - still around
GE - still around
Esmark - conglomerate (purchased by other owners - its brands such as Peter Pan and Butterball turkey are still around)
Chrysler - still around (went bankrupt once)
Armour - sold to ConAgra in 1983
Gulf Oil - merged and rebranded as Chevron
Mobile - bought by Exxon
Dupont - still around
Amoco - bought by BP
Bethlehem Steel - defunct in 2003
CBS - division of Paramount global
Texaco - part of Chevron
AT&T - still around
Shell Oil - still around
Kraft - Merged with Heinz
ChevronTexaco - Not sure why this is here
Goodyear Tire - still around
Boeing still around
Of the top 20 companies from 68 years ago, 19 are still around in some way shape or form.
Barring a singularity or global catastrophe, Apple isn't going anywhere anytime soon. High confidence.
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