On Google, and Evil

John August, on being approached to write a screenplay about Google:

The producer wanted to focus on the early days, which is understandable: it’s an underdog story, with scrappy geniuses inventing the future. He was particularly keen on Google’s “Don’t Be Evil” philosophy.

I jumped in: “And then, of course, the second act is about how they become evil despite themselves. It’s like Animal Farm. The pigs make all these noble rules, and then systematically subvert them.”

Crickets. I won’t be writing the Google movie.

★ Thursday, 20 January 2011