North Korea, Sony, and Threats

I’m puzzled. Why is Sony deferring to the PDRK?  There’s nothing dramatically new about this latest round of adolescent posturing. Of course, the North Koreans haven’t taken responsibility. But, why?

Is it the threats of violence, which seem rather unexecutable at this point. Perhaps it’s simple economics, with a significant lack of theatres willing to show it? Perhaps the other production companies lobbied hard enough, worried about getting caught in the crossfire, so to speak.

Perhaps it’s the hacking. Looks like Sony had been hit hard. But, is it really so bad that they’ll dump the whole $44 million movie production investment? It’s looking that way. Of course, most of the coverage I’ve read has been focused on the hacking. When a global company is reduced to handwritten paper memos, the threat must be considered severe.

I’m disappointed that these self-styled Guardians of Peace won this round. Should give us all pause, though. This is a disturbing precedent that I don’t want repeated.

Updated: just read this piece over at Slate, “The Sony Hackers Are Terrorists“. Very powerful thoughts on what these attacks might mean going forward. I’ve thing’s certain: cyber-security it’s definitely the career of the future.