blanc wrote:
Toto, I'm surprised at how seriously you take the underlying anarchist philosophy of the list; you identify so closely with it, and have responded to its moderation as though it really would be "the end of freedom", even though you seem to have appeared, or else come out of lurking, only recently. Is this because you value anarchy, or free speech, or the existence of the Cypherpunks as a unique group of stray cats [ :>) ]?
I value Reason (big 'R'), humor (small 'h'), and A/ambiguity (take your pick). Anarchy is only a pause between dictators. Fascism is necessary to remind us not to take freedom for granted. One should call for 'order' during the rein of anarchy and for 'freedom during times of Fascism. I have 'appeared' and/or 'come out of lurking' on the CypherPunks list at various times since it's inception, under various personas. Few have noticed, and fewer, still, have ever accurately described, as you have, what I truly value about the CypherPunks--"a unique group of stray cats." The CypherPunks have, over the years, weathered varying sorts of 'problems' in the development of the list, as a result of various 'voices of Reason' prevailing in the setting the list's direction--even when those 'voices' were diametrically opposed in their beliefs. What currently threatens the list, in my opinion, is not the dissension, but the rise of a cliquish sheep-mentality and the resulting dismissal of the opinions of people of Reason (and the opinions of 'anyone', in general, whom 'I' perceive as being on the 'other side' of an issue). If the day comes when I am able to file away the CypherPunks list under this-or-that category, then I will put a tombstone in the file, as well, and put flowers in it once a year. Toto
Side note: Since Tim isn't on the list and hasn't been for a month, I've been wondering if it had anything to do with the moderation experiment, although it is unlike him to have left without either an argument or at least some kind of statement about it.
.. Blanc