Valleywag
China's Internet population now exceeds that of the United States. But before moving into the market, companies like ABB, Gap and Novartis are scrambling to figure out how to do so without looking evil in the eyes of consumers in free societies. The Financial Times solved the problem in 885 words. A 785-word-lighter version:
Distinguish between doing business and doing the regime's dirty business. The latter they call "complicity": either authorizing or ignoring human rights abuses committed by their own subsidiaries or providing assistance to others who damage human rights. "The company's assistance or encouragement has to be to a degree that, without such participation, the abuses most probably would not have occurred to the same extent or in the same way." Does not amount to complicity: companies involved did not make things worse. Ask: if I do this, am I one day going to find myself claiming I didn't?(Photo by sha3bi1Beijing)
Comments
Where's Silcion Valley? Do they have their own attention whores like Scbole and Allsion?
I'm sure Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting can explain why if you do business with China a dissident is going to get his head ventilated, but we'll have to wait until Good Will Hunting ][ for that.
I think I'm going to liberate that image in the name of the people. Thanks, comrade!
At that point - I would have you see - the force to which one yielded mingles with one's will; and no excuse can pardon their joint act. Absolute will does not concur in wrong; but the contingent will, through fear that its resistance might bring greater harm, consents.
Dante, Paradisio IV 37
The image is actually by Beau Bo D'Or in the UK:
[www.bbdo.co.uk]
Start a discussion:
Login with your username and password below. Or comment on this post via email.
Forgot your username or password? New User?