Steve Jobs expressed something that many of us have felt for a long time when he proclaimed that Google’s “Don’t be evil” mantra is BS. Google’s corporate motto makes us uneasy, but it’s hard to say exactly why. Even Jobs only managed to lash out—missing an opportunity to clarify an important issue.
“Don’t be evil” sets the bar way too low. Some deeply religious individuals may consider all unethical behavior evil, but most people reserve the word “evil” for extreme acts—the kind that inflict pain or involve violence. “Don’t be evil” leaves the door open to things you know are wrong but somehow manage to rationalize.
“Don’t be evil” is way too vague. People have debated what types of behavior are and are not ethical since the beginning of recorded history. Most organizations that care about what’s right go to much greater pains to stipulate what’s wrong. Often that means establishing and promulgating a code of ethics. Life, including business life, presents us with many ethical dilemmas and it helps to have guidelines to remind us of what’s expected in different situations.
“Don’t be evil” is way too subjective. People may disagree about whether a specific act is evil or just in bad taste—particularly if one happens to be the offender and the other happens to be the offended. It also leaves it entirely up to individuals to decide whether it’s OK to do something bad as a means of accomplishing something good.
They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Socrates taught that doing the right thing is not a matter of intention but a matter of knowledge. With its “Don’t be evil” motto, Google does more to sidestep ethical issues than to set a worthy standard.
