Dane-geld

In light of Sony Corporation's recent capitulation to cyberterrorist demands to cancel release of a stupid comedy movie about North Korea and write-off a $100 million investment, I share the following:

Danegeld, literally translated "Danish tribute", was an unreasonably outrageous extortion shake down by Viking raiders during the Middle Ages in return for a "promise" to not exact the even worse consequence of having your city or country plundered and burned. Naturally, once the ransom is paid and the enemy is emboldened and strengthened, the next ransom demand is always exponentially higher. (Reference Somali pirates.)

English writer-poet/novelist Rudyard Kipling wrote an appropriately named poem called Dane-Geld that warns of the dangers of capitulating to these kinds of demands.

Dane-Geld
A.D. 980-1016
It is always a temptation to an armed and agile nation
  To call upon a neighbour and to say: --
"We invaded you last night--we are quite prepared to fight,
  Unless you pay us cash to go away."

And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
  And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
  And then  you'll get rid of the Dane!

It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
  To puff and look important and to say: --
"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.
  We will therefore pay you cash to go away."

And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
  But we've  proved it again and  again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
  You never get rid of the Dane.

It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
  For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
  You will find it better policy to say: --

"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
  No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
  And the nation that pays it is lost!"

Not withstanding the poor management decision by Sony to make "The Interview", their even worse decision to capitulate to the demands of cyberterrorists who are likely working for North Korea will embolden rogue nations and unethical groups world-wide to use cyberterrorism and blackmail as tools to attack other nations, companies, groups, and individuals who they perceive to be opposed to their agenda.


The nation (or society) that pays extortion will be oppressed, shamed, and eventually be destroyed.