Should we oppose the Data Superhighway/NII?

[jkreznar@ininx.com (John E. Kreznar)]

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> > The beauty of cypherpunk technology is that it provides means to _avoid_
> > the tyranny of government, rather than trying to redirect that tyranny
> > on behalf of one's own ends.

> This is a commendable goal, but one can't rely on a trickle to do the job
> of a river.  I'm all for cp tech, and I'm all for reducing the power of
> the govt. as much as possible and as soon as possible.   I'm _not_ all for
> expecting to accomplish this immediately.

Cypherpunk technology gives you a way to _forget about reducing their
power_ and concentrate on increasing your own.

> > Government gets its power from its hundred million clients. 

> Hmm I tend to think govt. gets its power from the adequately backed-up
> threat that it can rob (fine), enslave (imprison) or kill (execute or
> shoot while resisting arrest) you if you don't do what it says.

Without the hundred million each clamoring to shape government as he
would prefer, it would wither.  Of course, if you alone stop clamoring,
it won't have a noticeable effect, but at least you avoid the
inconsistency and cognitive dissonance of contributing to the very
problem you're attempting to solve.

> If someone holds me hostage, I tend to think of them as a coercive
> kidnapper, not a business that I am patronizing.

You're patronizing them by entertaining their claim to control the means
by which you will communicate, implicitly endorsing the proposition that
there's some legitimacy to their involvement in the first place.

> The time's just not right for a cypherpunk "War on Govt".  Cypherpunks
> will lose.

I agree.  This is one of the reasons for _avoiding_ government, rather
than fighting them or joining them.

> ...when anti-authoritarianism returns as the focus of the country's
> political thought,...

Are you willing to wait?

> People aren't mad enough yet to get up off their commercial-
> brainwashed, apathetic couch potato butts and DO much of anything yet,
> but would rather go to the mall or play with their Game Boys.

Why do you care about the couch potatoes?  Are you suggesting that your
privacy, or your use of strong cryptography, should be hostage to their
approval?

Asking the couch potato for his permission is exactly the act that makes
him think that his permission is required.  This is an instance of what
I mean when I write that the power of government results from its
hundred million clients.  If you insist on asking government for
permission to use your pencil sharpener they will gladly enlarge their
power enough to deny you that permission.

Leave the sleeping couch potato lie, and he'll be much less bother.

> Have a look at the stuff EFF's doing - ... before tossing us on the
> garbage heap as govt lubbers. :)

I don't mean to do that.  I'm just pointing out that playing in their
tar-pit -er, sandbox legitimizes their claim to control.

	John E. Kreznar		| Relations among people to be by
	jkreznar@ininx.com	| mutual consent, or not at all.

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