Van Gogh and the search engine formerly known as Google

Opinion is probably going to vary on Google's new name, but Shanghaiist isn't too fond of it and we agree with what this fellow said on his blog:

我第一眼看到这个名字的时候，是一种莫名的失望感觉，很酷的Google变成了有点俗气的“谷歌”，让人很失落。不过这其实也反映了中美两国的文化差异， Google给人的是一种很新颖的个性化体验，让人感觉酷酷的，而谷歌给人的感觉就像是很传统很乡土的意味，就像“家宝”这个名字一样，给人一种憨厚的感觉，当然换个说法就是“老土”。

Basically, he was disappointed with this new name because Google used to seem really cool to him, whereas the new name strikes him as kind of dull, old-fashioned and plain.

Before those of you who agree start spitting out words like "philistine" you should read Google's official China blog because it goes into some of the reasons for choosing the name. Remember, these folks are Stanford educated -- meaning they understand what figurative language is and have gone to those grad student parties where they try to impress the geeky awkward cute art history grad student girls with their cocktail conversations of Dutch post-impressiont painting ... Van Gogh to be precise. In fact, the whole idea of planting, sowing, reaping, and harvest comes from this painting, which you can see on the right. Learn how to say the title of this painting in German or Dutch and you'll definitely score with one of those art history chicks.

It's all quite fitting, this connection between Google and Vincent Van Gogh -- remember this?

It is Google's policy not to censor search results. However, in response to local laws, regulations, or policies, we may do so.

Consider too, their newest post on the official blog where they say this:

我们把每个网站当成一个选民，所有搜索结果的排名完全由这些选民相互 “投票” 公正决定。因为我们相信，信息面前，人人平等，只有真正在网络上被大家公选、信赖的信息才是有价值的。(Our translation: "We view each website like a voter, the ranking of search results is completely determined by an open and fair 'voting' process. Because we believe, in front of information, all people are equal, and only that information which has been collectively selected by people has any real value.")

Of course, we agree with that and whatever they put in their secret recipe has served all the Googlers out there quite well. Call us killjoys but we have to ask what the point of it is when afterwards, you invalidate it by declaring that some of the sites that get the most "votes" are disqualified because you said so or the government said so. And here the connection with Van Gogh is clearest, because after all, what is google.cn other than normal Google with one ear lopped off?