Forwarding message by scmayo@rschp2.anu.edu.au -------------------- From: scmayo@rschp2.anu.edu.au (Sherry Mayo) Subject: What motivates Crypto-folk? Date: 29 Jun 1994 08:14:16 GMT Organization: Australian National University The question in the subject of this thread may seem dumb to some people in this group, but I'm curious about how varied the motivations of crypto-using people are. I got PGP running on my machine a few weeks ago because I liked the idea of being able to communicate privately if I wanted, as I felt that email was much more insecure than other forms of communication. I started reading some of the crypto stuff on WWW and noticed a political trend in the motivations of many of the people who are 'big' in the crypto scene in the US. The motivation for these people's interest in cryptography seems to stem from a strong libertarian viewpoint, which incidentally often seems to coincide with strong views about the right to bear arms. It may seem that I am being particularly naive in being surprised by this but I am from the UK where libertarian views of this kind are not so widely held. I have never held a hand gun and have no desire to do so. Similarly my motivations for using cryptography come simply from a desire for privacy from Govt. and other snooping but NOT from the 'cyber-survivalist' inclinations that seem to motivate some in the US at least. I read some stuff on Vince Cate's WWW site by Tim May about how crypto was going to bring down governments due to (legal?) tax evasion by those who are computer literate . I have to say that I think this is highly unlikely (and to be fair, Vince's site included an article by Hal Finney agreeing with my view). I know that Tim May's views are considered to be extreme by some, but more moderate people seem to hold the view that crypto and also cyberspace (god I hate these buzzwords) in general herald an age of 'survival of the fittest' where those clued up about computers will be able to take advantage and do better due to paying less taxes etc. Personally I have no desire to evade tax since I quite like being able to drive on tarmac without holes, and having schooling and health care provided for all with the richer folk subsidising the poorer folk. I realise my views are anathema to the libertarian and I'm curious to know if there are other crypto users (I would NEVER call myself a cypherpunk :-) who's interest stems from a left-wing rather than right-wing viewpoint. I should point out that I consider tha libertarian/crypto-anarchist views I've outlined above to be an extreme form of the (right-wing) philosphy of individualism. I'd never come across a right-wing anarchist before reading the crypto groups - weird! Your thoughts please, SCM