Comments on: The Stunted Morals of the New Economy http://splinterinyourmind.com/2007/11/08/the-stunted-morals-of-the-new-economy/ religion, philosophy, technocopia, et al. Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:25:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: david http://splinterinyourmind.com/2007/11/08/the-stunted-morals-of-the-new-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-6 david Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:25:03 +0000 http://splinterinyourmind.com/2007/11/08/the-stunted-morals-of-the-new-economy/#comment-6 Yeah, that was the point I was trying to make. Once everything becomes reduced to a cost-benefit analysis, and compromises are made in regards to other intangibles (excellence and beauty, for example), intangibles such as morals and values become easier to compromise as well. In Shi Tao's case, the benefit he provided to Yahoo's bottom line was zero, so from a purely economic point of view the decision was a no-brainer. Yeah, that was the point I was trying to make. Once everything becomes reduced to a cost-benefit analysis, and compromises are made in regards to other intangibles (excellence and beauty, for example), intangibles such as morals and values become easier to compromise as well. In Shi Tao’s case, the benefit he provided to Yahoo’s bottom line was zero, so from a purely economic point of view the decision was a no-brainer.

]]> By: JS http://splinterinyourmind.com/2007/11/08/the-stunted-morals-of-the-new-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-5 JS Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:33:51 +0000 http://splinterinyourmind.com/2007/11/08/the-stunted-morals-of-the-new-economy/#comment-5 Yep. Not even sure where to begin to chime in on this post, David. On so many levels, macro and micro, one's moral underpinnings (or lack thereof) play such a crucial role. Within the context of this story, I think where the basement crumbles almost invariably is in the decision to put the needs of the shareholders above all other priorities. It is a classic scenario, and is totally pridictable in it's unfolding and end-game: once the bottom line becomes the most significant principal under which a corporation operates, that corporation is playing on the brink.. and almost all those who do end up falling in. My guess is that the Yahoo decision to placate the Chinese 'judiciary' was based on the fact that China, being such a huge market, has tremendous potential for profit.. and a lone Chinese journalist, when compared with THAT, had no hope at all. Yep.

Not even sure where to begin to chime in on this post, David. On so many levels, macro and micro, one’s moral underpinnings (or lack thereof) play such a crucial role.

Within the context of this story, I think where the basement crumbles almost invariably is in the decision to put the needs of the shareholders above all other priorities. It is a classic scenario, and is totally pridictable in it’s unfolding and end-game: once the bottom line becomes the most significant principal under which a corporation operates, that corporation is playing on the brink.. and almost all those who do end up falling in.

My guess is that the Yahoo decision to placate the Chinese ‘judiciary’ was based on the fact that China, being such a huge market, has tremendous potential for profit.. and a lone Chinese journalist, when compared with THAT, had no hope at all.

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