Google's self-censorship - Is stupidness evil?

Is compromise evil, Danwei wonders, in a variation on the famous Google-slogan 'Do No Evil'. Danwei summerize the current discussion on Google censoring its China News search engine from sites that are banned in China.

Well, after ten years in China, compromise it not a strange word for me, believe me. But a compromise in my view is the outcome of a struggle, a fight, and then you give in until a certain degree, or back off of course. After that you go to your constituency - whoever that might be - and try to explain and defend your compromise; they might accept that or not. Then you go ahead with your compromise. Or not.

In this case there has not been a trace of a fight or even contact between Google and any Chinese department. In the famous Playboy-interview both CEO's deny there has been even any contact. It seems very unlikely somebody from Beijing will call them in the US.

So they turn around the whole process: first they put their censorship system in place. Their constituency discovers it and starts screaming. Then Google uses sloppy arguments to defend their act, and they even repeat it.

Next on the agenda must me negotiations with China. Damned, what an neat litte negotiation position they have put themselves in. Compromising has only started. 'Don't be stupid', I would say.