CDR: Down with techno-egalitarinism, from a reluctant cpunk

[Declan McCullagh]

I spoke Thurs night at the University of Virginia 
(http://www.politechbot.com/p-01393.html). I talked a lot about 
cypherpunkly topics (added some stuff that I haven't seen here, and plan to 
turn into an article) and even gave the how-to-join address of the cpunx list.

Below is a response from one of the students, forwarded here with permission.

-Declan

******

>From: "Christopher Fazekas" <chrisfazekas at prodigy.net>
>To: <declan at well.com>
>Subject: Your speech last night.
>Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 14:23:41 -0400
>
>Dear Mr. McCullagh:
>
>     I thank you for a wonderful presentation last evening. It is rare 
> that I am presented with a political subject that grabs my attention. 
> Though I participate actively in political forum, until your speech last 
> evening, it had begun to feel as though I was "going through the motions" 
> so to speak with the boring, redundant ideological pissing matches that 
> characterize University discussion. Thank you for the new subject matter 
> to tackle.
>
>     However, what makes this topic interesting, bothers me as well. I was 
> the individual who asked the "prepayment" question concerning 
> intellectual property and proper remuneration thereof. Fantastic new 
> economic models would be forced to be created to describe this "market 
> response" to the dissolution of intellectual property rights. So, I will 
> not venture an opinion on such subject. Yet, I think it is important to 
> mention that there is a fine line between anarchism and libertarianism. 
> At least I find there to be one. Hence, when we talk about the overthrow 
> of the nation state, it sets off quite a few bells. I do not believe 
> judicial systems should be cast to the wayside in favor of 
> techno-egalitarianism, and I feel that the dissolution of intellectual 
> property would sincerely stress current social institutions which I do 
> not believe need to be overthrown, but strengthened as government power 
> is retracted. However, a case could be made that the two are intricately 
> connected to one another.
>
>     I realize all this is speculation. So, I will leave it at that. 
> Suffice to say I'm not sure the world is intellectually or socially 
> prepared for anarchy, though I believe it to be our saving end. Once 
> again, thank you for a wonderful discussion and keep in touch.
>
>     Please keep me in your list of contacts. As I will be entering law 
> school next fall, I hope to devote a great portion of my career to the 
> preservation of liberty, and make way for this great anonymous freedom.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Christopher Fazekas
>Chairman
>Classical Liberal Roundtable at the University
>2432 C-4 Arlington Blvd.
>Charlottesville, Virginia 22903