

Google Would Remind My Grandpa of the Arrogant White Invaders - olefoo
http://gizmodo.com/5500578/google-would-remind-my-grandpa-of-the-arrogant-white-invaders

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maxharris
Don't be fooled by these arguments. Issues of race (we should be completely
blind to race in our moral evaluations of people) and "pride in culture"
(which is disgusting and second-handed - people should make themselves, not
passively copy their neighbors or ancestors for every step of their lives) are
not important in this China vs. Google thing.

The essential issue is that of individual rights. I say that individual rights
are universal (and you should, too!) This is because rights are necessary to
sustain human lives; individual rights stem from man's nature, which is
defined by biological and mental characteristics that are unique to humans
(the conditional nature of man's existence and the conceptual nature of human
thought.)

Chinese people are humans just like the rest of us, and for them to live
fully, happily and most healthily, their individual rights must be respected.
By removing themselves from China, Google is removing their moral sanction of
a regime that violates individual rights. By doing so, Google's actions
advance the cause of individual rights, so you should be proud of them!

(I should add that I'm not against people that choose on their own accord to
take part in some cultural tradition, as long as they _themselves_ actually
enjoy it, and that the tradition doesn't necessarily violate the individual
rights of another.)

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CWuestefeld
Interesting article, and things we should be thinking about.

I think he derails, though, when he loses track of what governments are
_forcing_ us to filter versus what Google (or whomever) decides that they
don't want to deal with.

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balding_n_tired
I look forward to learning modesty from the Middle Kingdom.

