Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Demiheminotes
So, I got everything done that I needed to get done this weekend. Yay! Of course, my plate is already full again...
Otis and I went shopping at Trader Joe's on Sunday. Fun stuff there, and we bought a bunch of it. I think we need to shop alternate weeks at Joe's, Whole Foods, PCC, and Safeway to get all the stuff we like. (Have you seen the new Organics brand at Safeway? Cheap!)
It's been warm the past few days - I think the longjohns are gone now, and the kiltiness is back to normal.
Speaking of kilts, I may have to change the name of this blog to Hoodies and Kilts and No Sweats. Take a look at this outfit. I think my summer shoes are coming from here.
Speaking of blogs, I ask this of my blogmates seriously: should we leave Blogger? More to the point, should we disassociate ourselves from Google? The Students for a Free Tibet think we should.
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16 comments:
You can't imagine how relieved I was to find out "no sweat" referred to no "sweatshops" rather than no "sweatpants"!!! I was about to boycott the place!
Oh, and boycotting Google for working with the Chinese government seems ridiculous to me... but y'all go ahead. I'm sure Google really cares... especially as they stand to gain 1 million new users for every one that boycotts, and they could potentially spread some western freedom-loving influence in China. Boycotting Google is like saying Nixon was wrong to visit China... another idea that nobody supports.
The point about the efficacy of a Google boycott is a valid one; the idea of a boycott is to effect change by economic action, and you're right, it's unlikely that such would be successful in this case.
You will note, however, that I did not say boycott; I said disassociate. This signals a separation not with the intent to effect a change, but merely to satisfy one's own moral imperatives. I may disassociate myself from friends who are doing crimes, or an employer who is behaving unethically, with no intent to change them. How the idea holds up in that light is the question.
I don't think the question is illuminated by the Nixon comparison or that the equivalence of Google and Nixon is a sound one; we are not talking rapprochement or engagement or even doing business with; we are talking about actively participating in actions that appear to be (at least in some views) restrictive of human rights.
Finally, an idea is right or wrong based on its own merits and qualities, regardless of whether everybody supports it or "nobody" supports it.
(This is what I get for talking about politics on my blog, in violation of my own rules. But I guess I thought I was talking about blogging - and there's no rule against that!)
Why do you have a rule about not talking about politics on your own blog?
Because others do it so much better, and my focus has always been different.
Though a bit longwinded, I agree with your rebuttle on all points. I was aware of certain logical fallacies as I was writing (the "nobody supports" line in particular,) but you make some other valid remarks that I hadn't considered. If you truly feel that Google has associated itself with a regime that you do not support, and in fact, one that you hold as morally reprehensible, than the only sane thing to do is eliminate Google from your life... much the way that I have attempted to eliminate factory farms from my life: not to change them, but to assuage my own karma.
Oh, and also, by supporting an alternative, you might be making a positive contribution to some business that feels similarly to you.
But... do you really feel that China is evil?
Why would Google's working with the Chinese government be any worse than having a collection of toys or shirts that were "made in China"?
Excellent point, Scotty. I think consistency can be quite important. It's like giving money to save the rainforests, yet eating at McDonald's everyday.
There are so many hidden impacts of our use of things and purchases of things that we don't even realize. It's mind boggling...
I think the discussion may have moved past the pertinent point: The question is not over Google's doing business with China. In a global economy, people are hard-pressed to do business with no one who had ever violated their ethical standards.
The issue is not judging China, but judging Google, who has apparently designed a search engine that specifically censors certain information. The question is not "Should Google do business with China?" but "Do you want to do business with Google, a compnay that feels it's okay to do X?"
To get a start on finding out precisely what X is, check the link. And remember that I am asking questions. I haven't made up my mind yet.
(PS - John, do you realize that you called yourself long-winded? It's called a misplaced modifier. Heh.)
Oops, I'll remember not to agree with you again in the future... so as to avoid such errors.
Okay. First, I just registered with blogger the other day so that I can be a part of this international blog that is "Hoodies, Kilts and Cons." So, I will try to chime in now and again and I am now among your loyal fan club.
More to the point. Clifton had a pair of the No Sweat sneakers, because they have been being advertised in Adbusters (is that ironic?) for some time now. He said they were pretty crappy and fell apart really fast. So, I would stick with the Cons. They are cheaper, I think. Last longer. Sound cooler. And there is something to be said for tradition and nostalgia. But Nike owns those shoes now, I understand. But that doesn't bother me. Which takes me to my second point. But if you want to switch; consider PF Flyers. Check out their site. Their shoes are totally SWEET!!! and last long and I think they are a cool business and the PF stands for Posture Foundation.
But, I digress. As Jon said, if you feel strongly one way or the other you should go with that. But as for me, I wouldn't care at all. About Nike, or Google, or China, or McDonalds, or anything. Because my magic word is Nihilism. Nihilism is a sweet philosophy that helps me make all of my decisions faster and clears up time in my schedule to do truly important things like juggle five balls and learn a twelth variation to the rising-card trick.
So, that would be my two-cents worth. Google is free, I think. So we aren't really doing business with them. From a "seeking my own-self interest" perspective, I guess I will use the best search engine that I can which comes at the lowest price. As far as I know google fits the bill. But if there are alternatives, I would use them. I use Mozilla instead of Explorer, for example. So there is that option, too...
Alright. Writing all of that was fun!!
xoxo
scotty
Wow, who knew that Soapy and Scotty were actually nihilist soulmates?!
Well, I guess we're done here, then.
(I used to wear PF Flyers. They supposedly made you "run faster and jump higher.")
Good to hear from you, Scotty. Start a blog about Egypt!
Are you going to offer any summary or conclusions or final thoughts, sir? Please don't let me have the last word. I didn't even say anything. I didn't even mention Big Bird goes to China. That movie was Sweet!!! Did you like your PF Flyers? Do you want to know about Egypt? I have lots of free time. Too much, some would say. But it's okay, because I'm going to spend it commenting on your blog.
And one more thing. Were you talking about me when you said you were disassociating from friends doing crimes? Because I keep telling you, those accusations were half-truths. And also, how do I get my new blog to have a picture of me? What the h#ll is a URL and how do I get them?
thanks
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