The Well-Read Cypherpunk

[Faustine]

Excellent list, but one small bone to pick:

>And there are a dozen other books. The Well-Read Cypherpunk should 
>know something about free market economics (not the Samuelson 
>technical stuff taught in introductory econ classes in college),

Why not? Why should becoming familiar with Hayek, Mises, Popper etc. 
preclude 'learning the language' of mainstream economics? For instance, how are 
you going to be able to understand Hayek's essay 'Economics and Knowledge' if 
the idea of traditional equilibrium analysis is over your head? Do yourselves a 
favor and read the Krugman/Obstfeld book 'International Economics: Theory and 
Policy'. You won't always agree with it, but it's worth the time. Who knows, 
you might even find that some of these issues are a hell of a lot more complex 
than you thought they were. I sure did. 

I don't think it's much of a stretch to say that too many people are content to 
regurgitate dumbed-down bumpersticker platitudes about libertarian ideas 
without any real understanding to back themselves up. (I'm certainly not 
referring to you here Tim, but I think you know what I'm talking about.) 
Anyway, why should there be any distinction between a well-read cypherpunk and 
a well-read person in general? Everyone has to start somewhere, but jeez, 
broaden your horizons a little.

In a sense, it all comes down to a personal choice: are you content to sit 
around on the sidelines with your friends throwing the verbal equivalent of 
cherry bombs, basking in the cozy glow of cliquish moral superiority--or are 
you going to make the effort to get the education that allows you to speak to 
knowledgeable people in a way they can respect and understand, getting your 
foot in the door towards making a real impact, from the inside out? 


'There are men who struggle for a day and they are good. 
There are others who struggle for a year, and they are better. 
There are those who struggle many years, and they are better still. 
But there are those who struggle all their lives. 
These are the indispensable ones.'
				-- Brecht

Something to think about.

~Faustine.

****

'We live in a century in which obscurity protects better than the law--and 
reassures more than innocence can.' Antoine Rivarol (1753-1801).