Kent Crispin wrote:
On Wed, Aug 20, 1997 at 08:51:09PM -0700, Tim May wrote:
But the ability of a herd to take a vote, real or alleged, will not be sufficient to collect tribute from those who don't want to make the contribution freely.
Note another characteristic of cult thinking -- total separation of the illuminati from the "herd" -- the idea that the "chosen" are irrevocably different from those other unfortunate creatures that accidentally share the same physical form.
I am one of the "chosen." As a matter of fact, I am not only the Grand PoohBaah of the TruthMonger CypherPunk Cult, I am its "sole" member. Black Unicorn is the "soul" member of the Black Unicorn CypherPunk Cult, and its Grand Pooh-Baaa...Baaaa...Baaaa. Blanc Weber is the Grand PoohBroad of the Blanc Weber CypherPunk Cult, even though her cult does not have a "member." I realize that it is difficult for someone who defines themself by their position in the "group" or their membership in the "herd" to truly conceive of perceiving life from the perspective of an individual entity with social capabilities. If the cypherpunks mailing list is attacked in my presence, I may well choose to join in circling the wagons, even if I am capable of outrunning the attack, or I may choose to shout, "It's OK, I'm going for help." as I ride off over the horizon to the nearest bar. And later I may make the same or a different choice if the fight- censorship list is attacked in my presence. The key word is "choice." As in "free." "Free...Choice" Am I missing something here? Does my brain make a connection between these two words because of an electrical malfunction, or am I correct in my assumption that these two concepts are closely related? "Voluntary...Mandatory" Buuzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oops! This combination causes a genuine short circuit, setting off all kinds of bells, buzzers and flashing lights. (BAD COP! NO DONUT!!) To tell the truth, I "chose" myself as sole member and Grand PoohBah of the TruthMonger CypherPunk Cult because I *do* feel that I am "irrevocably different" from "those other unfortunate creatures" that share a physical form similar to mine. Of course all of those other people are fucking idiots! That's why I chose *me* to live my life, and not them. And I'm sure that most of them feel the same. Have you ever sat down at watched the world go by, viewing every passing person from the perspective of, "What if I, in this body, were like them? Thought like them, liked what they liked, hated what they hated, acted as they act." I've done that when I was on top of the world, and I've done that when I was in the gutter, and the answer was always the same. "Fuck those idiots! I'm *me*, not them!" Nothing personal, Kent, but if I had chosen you to live my life, I think it would have been a bad mistake. And vice-versa, I am sure.
As to the billion or so underpeople who are incapable of contributing that which others are willing to freely compensate them for, think of it as evolution in action.
Besides, in about 6.7 years, the world will have replaced them. People are like Doritos...the world will make more.
One wonders if there is a microscope powerful enough to resolve Tim May's heart.
Tim speaks of those who feel it is their duty/right to "collect tribute from those who don't want to make the contribution freely." Do you feel he is "obligated" to pay tribute to the people who show up on his doorstep wanting money to buy child sex-slaves? How about Bibles? Fatty hamburgers? Lean Cuisine? Taxes? Somewhere in the world there is a child dying of hunger who could be fed for a time if you sold your computer and bought food for the child. But the child is *not* dying *because* you didn't sell your computer and buy him/her food. The child is dying for the same reason that you and I are also dying--because it was born. ("No One Gets Out Of Here Alive") Bill Gates is a Cult of One, and a starving child is a Cult of One. Bill Gates is feeding a lot of people. Is he feeding *enough* people? Ask him, I'm sure he'll tell you how *he* feels about it. Perhaps Bill Gates is "bleeding" a few people to survive in the business jungle. Is he bleeding *too*many* people? Ask him, I'm sure he'll tell you how he feels about it. Mother Teresa is a Cult of One. That is how many people she eats for, in order to stay alive. Is she murdering a starving child with every bite she takes? Do you also need a powerful microscope to find *her* heart? Years ago, the Reader's Digest had an ancedote about a small rural town with only one house. When entering the "town" from either side, there was a welcoming sign just like one sees in many cities and towns across the nation. The sign read something like this: "Welcome to Smithville." "Population 1" "Mayor -- Dave Smith." "Fire Marshall -- Dave Smith" "Town Treasurer -- Dave Smith" "Drive Carefully. The life you save could be Dave's." So it was not surprising to find out that Dave Smith is a CypherPunk. (David E. Smith <dave@bureau42.ml.org>) Have you never noticed that it is called the cypherpunks mailing list? ^ Plural, Kent, plural. The name is plural in order to warn newcomers to the list that we are not all "one" and that, despite the wishes of Rodney King, we may not all "get along." The word "we" is for use by Kings, Priests, and people with tapeworms. I'm not adverse to striking a deal where you watch my back and I watch yours, but if you are incapable of watching your own front, then it's really not my problem. If Tim is low on ammo, he would probably find it in his best interest to cover you while you make a break for yours. If he has plenty of ammo he might *choose* to do the same, for his own reasons. I, for one, however, would not want to show up on his doorstep and tell him he was *obligated* to cover me while I attempted to get back the ammo I had given away when the government "required" it of me. It's not because I think he's heartless. It's because I *don't* think he's *brainless*. TruthMonger "Who will help me load my Uzi?" said the Little Red Hen.