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Comment by klyrs | Hacker News Reader

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the only evil to a capitalist is loss of capital. The "don't be evil" motto still applies. Just not the way that you're accustomed to reading it.

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I'm surprised you're getting downvoted given the amount of snark in other comments. Or is the directness the part we're not supposed to be saying out loud?

You can criticize a person, you can criticize a company, but criticizing capitalism itself is never popular here. I've been called a communist for literally quoting Adam Smith.

Because we are talking about a specific company and their actions.

So was I. My crime is not seeing Google's ethical lapses in isolation?

Yes?

the people who can downvote on this site all have remarkably similar political/ethical positions, or it is my impression at least that is the case. really makes you think huh

As far as I know, you can downvote when you have 500 karma. But it is interesting that the people with that amount seem to run in the bootstraps go brrrr crowd, eh?

> The "don't be evil" motto still applies.

Not exactly: https://gizmodo.com/google-removes-nearly-all-mentions-of-do...

> The updated version of Google’s code of conduct still retains one reference to the company’s unofficial motto—the final line of the document is still: “And remember… don’t be evil, and if you see something that you think isn’t right – speak up!”

Eh, I'd identify as a capitalist and there are definitely lots of evil things far worse than loss of capital. Capitalism need not imply anarchy or surrendering our moral compass.

According to far too many, a corporation's sole duty is to the enrichment of its shareholders. I speak not of an ideal capitalism, but of capitalism as it is practiced.

Oh, I agree that that's what corporations should be doing -- I just trust my government to give them laws and regulations to follow, to steer the lumbering economic engine to the goals that we as society value. (I also tend to think that companies that people think are good tend to last and have broad social support, so doing good does have merits even to bloodthirsty capitalists).

If companies break those laws or regulations, the penalties should be extremely steep (I imagine we probably agree on this bit, but let me know if not).

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