Sergey Brin On Google and China

yuhong writes "The NY Times has an interview with Sergey Brin on Google and China. A few quotes from it: 'Mr. Brin lived in the Soviet Union until he was nearly 6 years old, and he said the experience of living under a totalitarian system that censored political speech influenced his thinking — and Google's policy. "It has definitely shaped my views, and some of my company's views," he said.' Yes, business is personal, especially these days."

Re:How much free speech do you need at aged 6?

[binarylarry]

I think you mean Comrade in the Bubushka!

Re:How much free speech do you need at aged 6?

[drsquare]

Also remember, that Sergey Brin's parents were academics, which made them an active target of the government.

Under the Soviet bloc, you didn't become an academic unless you supported and abetted the government. It's likely that Brin's parents were part of that totalitarianism, that they enjoyed favoured status by reporting dissidents etc.

Re:Politial speech influenced 6 yrs old chid.

[Dishevel]

I am glad you are pissed and therefore feel that the correct way to deal with it is to take everything with the mention of the letters "US" in it and go on a tear about how fucked up that country is. We should have a bunch of people like you running the world. Then everything would be wonderful.

Re:Politial speech influenced 6 yrs old chid.

[Cyberax]

No, I'm talking about discrimination of 60-70-s. It was not 'line up Jews against the wall and shoot them' type of discrimination, but rather 'we're allowed to have more than 2 Jews work in our department'. Also, discrimination flared up when emigration to Israel/USA had started.

There was a joke which goes like this - a Jewish candidate with perfect resume wants to work in a lab and is refused:
- Why don't you want me to work here?
- Because you'll emigrate soon.
- But I won't emigrate, I love the Party and the USSR!
- Even worse, we don't need idiots here.