In the Machinehood through the use of the various pill funders we see an example of how corporate exploitation reaches an all time peak. In the novel, we see how giant pharmaceutical companies monopolize the production of performance-enhancing pills. To many of the workers these pills have become essential for them to be in a hyper-competitive gig economy. In the Machinehood world, their productivity basically determines their survival. The novel shows how these corporations have turned the capabilities of their workers into a commodity. They reduce these individuals to minuscule tools that they can simply optimize for profit through the use of drugs. This mirrors how in the present society there is a concern about the pharmaceutical industry, and the many ways it is using exorbitant pricing to monopolize human health. These companies practice limiting access to essential medicines to the wealthy, prioritizing profits over public health. Although the pharmaceutical companies have a big impact on the distribution of drugs, so have other illegal methods.
The examples we see of the corporate behaviors depicted in the Machinehood is somewhat hyperbolic, however, when looking at contemporary society, the illustration in this story may not be as far-fetched as it seems.The pharmaceutical industry has been criticized for prioritizing their profits over the accessibility of medications for patients. Similarly, the opioid epidemic highlights how companies, for example Purdue Pharma, try to aggressively market addictive painkillers. This led to many people on the street trying to make and sell knock offs despite knowing their harmful effects, prioritizing profit at the expense of public health. The present day use and effects of addictive drugs makes the use of the pills in Machinehood not seem so hyperbolic. It is easy to make people addicted, and addicts will do anything for a fix. These people could easily become addicted to working simply to receive the pills.
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