Privacy and Prices of Privacy

[uni@acs.bu.edu (Shaen Bernhardt)]

ejo@world.std.com spoke thus:

WARNING: The following post, I realize, assumes that we all agree that we
should all have the right to buy and sell and take any chemicals we damn
well please. In Extropians, you don't have to mention this. In the world
at large, this elicits wide eyed stares, and sputtering noises of disbelief.
 
( I recall someone being willing to give up some privacy for 'less crack
in the schools.' Sorry. Not a good enough reason to give up one whit of
privacy.)
 
End Quote.

That was me.

Specifically I said:

I have a feeling that there are like minded people out there,
people who can tolerate some violations of absolute privacy
in exchange for feeling that every plane you ride on is not
at risk because of some psycho, and that less coke is going
to find its way to schools.  But who cannot tolerate
AUTHORATARIAN regimes, and practices to make these assurances.


End Quote

Sure, if YOU want to grow coco plants and harvest and process them
for your own use, I don't have a problem with that.  That's your
business.  If you want to process it into base, crack in effect,
go ahead.  I don't really have a problem with that either.
Frankly I don't have a problem with the legalization of cocaine,
I'm indifferent.  I wouldn't use any, but I'm not going to stop
anyone else from it.  I am not quite libertarian enough however
to support the sale of refined coke out there.  I think this
is a pragmatic point, based on what is practical as far as
soceity goes.  I WILL say that I can't support authoratarian
moves to prevent it.  Makeing exceptions for wiretap laws on
drugdealers is bullshit.  Follow the constitution at all times
IMHO, no exceptions.  If you can't catch em without invading
privacy then they aren't enough of a public problem to worry
about.  To me this does NOT include drug sniffing dogs at the
airport.  I really am not much offended by THIS practice.
Border control has been a standby for soverignty for as long
as borders have been drawn.  Fine.

We're getting a touch out of the scope of the list however
so I will finish by saying that it is entirely impossible to
grant ABSOLUTE privacy, and I'm not asking for it.  I just
don't want to be numbered, tracked, watched, listened to
when I am minding my own business in my house.

uni