Are you safer protected by Microsoft or Portugal?

Whenever I invite people to ponder this idea, I ask them to imagine they are traveling through an unstable country in the Far East and are unexpectedly kidnapped by a group of rebels.

If they could choose someone to negotiate for their life and freedom, would they prefer to be a citizen of a medium-sized country like Portugal, New Zealand, or Singapore? Or would they rather be an employee of a large global corporation like Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Apple, or Tesla?

Would the President of Portugal have greater leverage in contacting the rebels and negotiating your release than if Zuckerberg, Musk, Bezos, Altman, or Brin reached out?

In that critical moment, would you rather "belong" to the country of Ireland or the corporation of Apple? Would you prefer to carry a Portuguese passport or a company ID badge from Apple Inc.?

Our answers reveal how our social organization is shifting. In a world where survival hinges on the power of affiliations, the choice between waving a flag or flashing a badge could determine whether our rescue comes through diplomatic channels or corporate networks.