Actually, lying, cheating and stealing *is* a significant part of capitalism. Worldcom, Tyco, the Savings and Loans scandals, you name it, these are just the tip of the iceberg.
But you're right that China is far worse for hypocrisy than we are, especially in the areas of a) the environment and b) intellectual property. I lived there for four years, and there is no concept of right and wrong there in most people's eyes, according to my perceptions. Just success and failure, and if you succeed, it doesn't matter if you found it, earned it, invented it, stole it, or won it, they see them all as the same thing: the Great Face of wealth. So if anyone thinks that what happens to Baidu after this news actually matters, they are naive. There are hundreds of sites in China where you can download all songs, current movies (usually 2 weeks before they come out in the States) and whatever else you want.
The US however is getting a lot more like China every year, particularly since the current Bush administration began. Big business buys the legislation it wants, including a complete backpedalling on the environment, drug approvals, suppression of information on herbal remedies, the Iraq war.... you name it.
I liken capitalism to the Olympics -- same competition, same rewards for cheating. The problem is, the US is no longer the good guy -- they are the ones refusing to crack down on steroids, and the ones whose economy is totally doped. Lack of medical care and other employee benefits, lack of environmental restraints, lack of respect for international agreements, lack of respect of NAFTA with my country (Canada), hypocrisy on dumping and international competition... Ronald Reagan once said, "America can outcompete anyone in the world, on a level playing field." If this was ever true, it is no longer the case. Europe and Canada have the only reasonably well-balanced versions of capitalism, and the US is the bully who always cheats. Too bad.
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Actually, lying, cheating and stealing *is* a significant part of capitalism. Worldcom, Tyco, the Savings and Loans scandals, you name it, these are just the tip of the iceberg.
But you're right that China is far worse for hypocrisy than we are, especially in the areas of a) the environment and b) intellectual property. I lived there for four years, and there is no concept of right and wrong there in most people's eyes, according to my perceptions. Just success and failure, and if you succeed, it doesn't matter if you found it, earned it, invented it, stole it, or won it, they see them all as the same thing: the Great Face of wealth. So if anyone thinks that what happens to Baidu after this news actually matters, they are naive. There are hundreds of sites in China where you can download all songs, current movies (usually 2 weeks before they come out in the States) and whatever else you want.
The US however is getting a lot more like China every year, particularly since the current Bush administration began. Big business buys the legislation it wants, including a complete backpedalling on the environment, drug approvals, suppression of information on herbal remedies, the Iraq war.... you name it.
I liken capitalism to the Olympics -- same competition, same rewards for cheating. The problem is, the US is no longer the good guy -- they are the ones refusing to crack down on steroids, and the ones whose economy is totally doped. Lack of medical care and other employee benefits, lack of environmental restraints, lack of respect for international agreements, lack of respect of NAFTA with my country (Canada), hypocrisy on dumping and international competition... Ronald Reagan once said, "America can outcompete anyone in the world, on a level playing field." If this was ever true, it is no longer the case. Europe and Canada have the only reasonably well-balanced versions of capitalism, and the US is the bully who always cheats. Too bad.
The King is Dead, Long Live the King.