It has been almost three weeks since I last wrote on my blog. Not a good thing. So I thought it best to recapture my blog-writing mojo with a positive rave. I do intend to keep it shortish, given that the subject matter is hardly earth-shattering. And I also need to get back into my groove...
The whole China vs. Google debacle has created quite some media attention in the past few weeks. And, much to its credit, Google eventually decided a few days ago that it would no longer submit to China's draconian Internet censorship laws. And so it set up its China operations in Hong Kong.
Counting against Google is the fact that for quite some years now it sold its corporate 'soul' (do corporations even have souls? The US Supreme Court would probably find reason to believe they do, but, NO, they do not) by acquiescing to China's stringent and flagrantly anti-democratic Internet laws. The reason cited now by Google as its reason as to why it no longer wishes to acquiesce to China is because of the incessant snooping on, or blocking of, the Google e-mail accounts of pro-democracy activists in China by the People's Republic.
You took a long time to find that elusive 'soul', Google - but, as they say, better late than never.
So, why am I happy about this decision by Google? Consider the following:
1. China has an appalling human rights record, whatever its well-oiled PR system in both the East and West might state. Therefore, I'm on the side of pro-democracy activists. Simple as that.
2. China is a bully. Everyone loves to rant and rave about what a huge bully the United States (which it is) but no where as much anger is directed at China. Well, as any kid who was ever picked on at school can vouch, there can be more than one bully on the playground. And China is a bully. As the world whored itself out to China just to get cheaper T-shirts and crappily made (yet still expensive, please note) electronic goods, so China became Sweatshop to the World and an economic powerhouse. And, increasingly, a passive-aggressive bully. Many people swoon over its riches and its monetary clout on the global scene. I, for one, remain sceptical and keep thinking: that's what you get for being a sell-out, Rest of World.
3. I'm frankly sick and tired of China using that adage that 'when in China, the laws of China must be respected.' They use it with such aplomb and such vigour, and it's such a load of absolute hogwash. With that logic, apartheid South Africa would have been justified in its racist policies, simply because they were 'their own laws in their own land'. Uh huh. The old South African regime tried that, but rightly so, it didn't work in the end. Your wise Oriental logic simply doesn't gel, China. Not if your laws stink to high heaven and it offends some of us out here in the big, wide world. So sorry.
4. I'm glad too that Google did not capitulate out of sheer greed. So many economic 'pundits' (you know, those bloodsucking 'experts' and Wall Street sell-outs that proliferate financial talk shows and newscasts on CNN, et al) have pooh-poohed Google's decision as stupid, given how 'huge' the Chinese market would have become for them in the near future. Well, for one, I'm quite sure Google did all their sums and have covered most of their 'Chinese future market realities' quite well. They're not a huge and quasi-monopolistic corporation for nothing.
5. And, for another, it's nice when ethics and good corporate governance trump corporate greed and capitulation to amoral foreign laws. The gesture may be nothing more than 'tokenism' by Google to many, but I'll take the tokens and ride on this train, thank you very much.
6. I like the fact that an American organization has given a middle finger to the Chinese government. It's a small, very insignificant victory in the scheme of things, but it's a victory to be savoured nevertheless. Simple as that too.
People are most mistaken if they think that the decline of the American empire, with all that is so despicable about that, will somehow be replaced by some magical, 'golden' Chinese empire. The current Chinese socio-economic and political reality is farcical in its artificiality and, quite frankly, China simply never lets up on its many, MANY human rights violations.
China the Bully is dangerous, make no mistake about that.
Empire is empire and this 'mercantilist empire', so breathlessly admired by so many in the West, has very dangerous tendencies, particularly with regard to human rights and other core values which I, for one, believe in and hold dear.
I do not trust China. Nor should you. Which is why this middle finger by Google, however cynical or however delayed it may be, etc, is nevertheless something to be cheered about. It's fashionable to deride and to diminish the West these days. So very fashionable. Yet, still today, core Western democratic values are yearned for by so many millions and millions of people, including in China. Very interesting that.
I, for one, will support any initiative that seeks to trump autocracy and human rights abuses with democracy and human rights for all as victorious.
I may live in Africa, but in these things I am proudly Western to the core.
Good for you, Google.
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