Life is a Stream

Netflix (NFLX) is one of the beneficiaries of the stay-at-home economy, its stock appreciating by 57% this year (chart below).

Netflix (NFLX) fell along with the rest of the market in March but more than recovered by May.

Reid Hastings is one of Silicon Valley's acknowledged visionaries. In his short interview with the Wall Street Journal he displays the frankness that comes from being a billionaire founder who doesn't have anything to prove.

WSJ: Have you seen benefits from people working at home?

Mr. Hastings: No. I don’t see any positives. Not being able to get together in person, particularly internationally, is a pure negative. I’ve been super impressed at people’s sacrifices....

WSJ: Netflix is known for paying top-of-the-market salaries. Are you concerned that has driven up costs for you and others in Hollywood?

Mr. Hastings: When you’re looking at great sports teams, they’re often the teams that can pay high for the best players. We want to have the absolute best players and compensation is one part of that. We’d rather have three outstanding people than four OK people...

WSJ: How would the Netflix culture work in politics?

Mr. Hastings: Politics is tough because in many ways people elect people who lie a lot. In business, we really try to avoid that. The skills to succeed in politics are really quite different than in business.

In his final question and answer--

WSJ: If Netflix options your book, who should play you?

Mr. Hastings: There’s always Brad Pitt.

I think he's joking, but maybe not.