On Apr 26, 1996 02:05:40, 'tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May)' wrote:
(If we were leftist theoreticians, we could debate for years or even decades whether our movement is truly a mass movement, or just a vanguard movement, etc.)
--Tim May
I do not mind being trolled from time to time. Based on my anthropological, political, and journalistic researches, I look at cypherpunks as a heterogeneous, not homogenous, movement. By this, I mean that it can be examined in a variety of ways based on significantly different points. 1) Development (more accurately spread) of public key crypto: definitely vanguard. 2) Development and spread of anon remailers: definitely vanguard. 3) Opposition to CDA, etc.: Part of a smallish mass movement. Participation in the movement definitely limited to a small number of issues involved. E.G. good contributions to publicity; no contribution to issues of mass sexual hysteria around "kiddie porn," etc. 4) Other issues, like future role of e-cash, etc. Not vanguard, not mass movement, a "bunch of loons." --tallpaul