Comments on: Google, Sicko & voice

By: Premed Boya

Premed Boya — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 05:52:57 +0000

Corporations are only as moral as the people making the rules they operate under.

Same goes for governments… so really America is only as moral as the average voter and Google only as moral as the average manager making decisions (does google have managers?)

By: Dave Neary

Dave Neary — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:35:01 +0000

Cory: would it be Geico having this opinion, or its marketing strategy group & board of directors? Allowing corporations to have opinions only gives actual human beings a chance to do inhuman or immoral things in the name of “the best interests of the company”.

Dave.

By: Cory

Cory — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:39:18 +0000

Corporations do have opinions. For instance, say Insurance Regulators wanted to standardize insurance rates. Don’t you think Geico would have something to say about that? It would ruin their corporate identity. No more “Saving 15% on car insurance”.

By: erikg

erikg — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 19:29:30 +0000

Well, given that corporations are defined as legal persons, with most of the same rights as human beings, I don't see why they shouldn't have opinions as well. Yes, it's absurd and grotesque, but that's capitalism for you.

By: iain

iain — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 17:21:23 +0000

As far as my understanding goes in the US legal system a corporation has the same rights as a person (a consequence of abuse of the equal rights laws passed in the 60s), they are a “super-person” according to some commentators.

I guess once you’ve gone so far down that road the next step is to believe that these super people do indeed have opinions and a single voice.

I look at it as a cynical attempt to get more ad revenue from a group of corporations earning millions a year.

By: Eduardo Padoan

Eduardo Padoan — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 12:39:28 +0000

The point is not “Google likes/hates Sicko”, but “Google is trying to profit from an industry accused of profiting from death”. Googlers love to say that they have an opinion – the “no Evil” thing.