<<Vitamin B>>(January 27, 1997) Affirmative Anonymity

[Robert Hettinga]

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To: DAILY DOSE <DAILY_DOSE at smtpgw.worldcom.com>
From: VitaminB <VitaminB at maxager.com>
Date: 27 Jan 97 15:44:12
Subject: <<Vitamin B>>(January 27, 1997) Affirmative Anonymity
Mime-Version: 1.0

Vitamin B:
Your Daily Dose of Bionomics

January 27, 1997

Affirmative Anonymity

In response to the January 24th Vitamin B ("Anonymity and Reputation"),
Greg Waddell, Policy Coordinator for U.S. Senator Connie Mack (R-FL)
and 1996 Bionomics Conference Speaker,  made the following comments,
which we'd like to share.

"There are aspects of the anonymity paradigm that relate to a whole host of
social issues that Machine Age liberals usually seek to remedy with strong
and heavy hand of government.  Namely, these are issues of discrimination
by race, gender, disability, etc. etc.  After the Joint Economic Committee's
hearing on the 21st Century Economy, held in summer of 1995, I suddenly
realized (better late than never!) that communicating via computer over the
Internet forces each of us to deal with others without regard to physical
attributes.
Neither color, race, gender, disability, religion, nationality, nor any
"class"
markers are apparent over the Net. The Information Age economy, if left
to evolve freely, could bring us closer to our American ideals of equality
for all than any law, affirmative action program, diversity training, or
anything
else.  I think that is the most compelling aspect of what we identify as the
anonymity of the Net."

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-----------------
Robert Hettinga (rah at shipwright.com), Philodox
e$, 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"The cost of anything is the foregone alternative" -- Walter Johnson
The e$ Home Page: http://www.shipwright.com/rah/
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