Cypherpunk failures

[Morlock Elloi]

> Maybe it's not too late.  But if this group is ever to resume its role
> as an exciting place where the future of computing is visible, it must
> refocus its efforts.  Cypherpunks should think positively, look past
> current troubles, and start talking again about crypto technology and
> how it can change the world.  That would be a conversation worth having.

The basic problem with cpunks is misunderstanding of the ground rules.

Most cpunks are/were cube slaves, albeit with decent salaries, and some have
cashed out (you know who you are.)

As well-paid hired hands they tend to forget who masters are and how masters
function.

Trying to shove the privacy down the throat of unsuspecting citizenry is an
exercise in futility. Not unlike organising the church of atheists. "Ordinary"
people will do what they are fed with. Cypherpunks have no means of conquering
even 0.001% of the input bandwidth of "ordinary people". There is no money and
no means for that.

So, what is left ?

- Sell out and help various "rights" groups that do good (as defined by USG -
always groups outside US and sympathetic to US) use crypto.

- Sell out and do commercial crypto which will never have any impact on
individual's privacy.

- Sell out and radiate negative vibes and pipe dreams about killing.

The point is, we have not found a killer app that:

a) can be sustained by a small group of disorganised individuals
b) has huge appeal to "ordinary" people.

Remailers satisfy a) but not b), for example.

What looks most promising at the time being are P2P apps that need protection
from snooping. Let's make trading .mp3s a crime with capital punishment.





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