Ethical Values?
Today, Neelie Kroes, the European Digital Agenda Commissioner has " invited Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, a former Federal Minister of Defense, and of Economics and Technology, in Germany, to advise on how to provide ongoing support to Internet users, bloggers and cyber-activists living under authoritarian regimes" (quoted from today's press release). According to zu Guttenberg, he'll just be reimbursed for his travel expenses and won't get a salary.
Zu Guttenberg was Minister of Economics and Technology for approximately 8 months and Minister of Defense for approximately 16 months. Most of you will remember that he resigned in March 2011 after having being found to have plagiarized his doctoral thesis. Interestingly enough, this was uncovered by an Internet platform called GuttenPlag ( http://de.guttenplag.wikia.com/wiki/GuttenPlag_Wiki ).
Nellie Kroes explained her choice with the following statement: "I look for talents, I don't need saints"!
I don't know, whether or not zu Guttenberg is an Internet expert, but the statement and the attitude are disturbing. What is really being said is that as long as someone has 'talent' and the right connections, that someone is qualified for the job. Ethical values are obviously not needed.
And precisely this attitude is one major reason for the mess we're in these days. The financial and political crisis is in reality a societal crisis fueled by the absence of ethical values!
