At 2:24 AM 10/10/95, Rob L wrote:

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We mustn't forget that, until very recently, strong, widespread privacy has been humanity's "default" condition.

Not much privacy in village or tribal life. Even neighborhoods of earlier cities weren't very private. Neighbors always knew your business.

Big difference is that your neighbors were usually looking out for you.. not waiting to catch you doing something wrong.. Even in the small town I live in, there is considerable privacy even though everyone knows everyone else.. people tend to keep their noses out of others business.. of course, if you offer to talk, then its fair game for the side of the road interrogations <g>

Ah, a very astute comment! Indeed, my chief concern--speaking for myself--is not hiding my activities from my neighbors, who, by the way, share my distaste for high taxes, big government, etc., but in ensuring that the various enforcement agencies are not aware of my activities. (And even then, my concern is a bit abstract, as I'm not--take my word--a pot grower, a money launderer, an arms dealer, or a terrorist. I have violated some laws about obtaining necessary permits, such as the ones needed to run a computer consulting firm in one's home, but I don't fear a pre-dawn raid by the jack-booted thugs over this.) Priuacy is mostly needed to protect against the government, or those who inform to the government, because it is manifestly the government that throws people in jail for doing "illegal" things, not one's neighbors. --Tim May Views here are not the views of my Internet Service Provider or Government. ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^756839 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."