The Crypto Winter

[Jim Choate]

On Sat, 17 Nov 2001, David Honig wrote:

> At 03:15 PM 11/17/01 -0800, Karsten M. Self wrote:
> >on Sat, Nov 17, 2001 at 01:36:32PM -0800, alphabeta121
> >(alphabeta121 at hotmail.com) wrote:
> >> what does C-A-C-L stand for?
> >
> >Crypto-Anarcho Capitalist Libertarian, per archives.  Shorthand for a
> >common, if not prevailing, political viewpoint among active listmembers.
> >
> 
> That label is 
> 
> 1. inconsistent (libertarian & anarchy) 

Actually it isn't. It isn't equating 'libertarian' with 'anarchy'. They
are seperate lines of thought. However, they do share some fumdamental
goals and world views. A shared set that sets them apart from other
approaches to social engineering (eg socialism, democracy, etc.).

In particular they believe that economics is the 'end'. Other segments see
it as a 'means' or 'mechanism'. It is a critical distinction when it comes
to deciding for whom a society exists and how 'benefit' should be
measured.

C-A-C-L's would let people die from thirst before interfering in a 'free
market'. Others would say screw the market and give that man a drink.

> 2. redundant ('capitalist' and libertarian)

Not congruent.

> 3. nonsensical --cryptography is a neutral technology with debatable 
> social consequences

Technology is 'neutral' only within in a 'pure' context. The instant
'psychology' gets injected, as in 'how do I use this?', all bets are off.
Technologies have consequences. The failure of most is in not realizing
the only hope is to discover and distribute as fast as possible. Anything
else leads to failure of the system.

However, as I've said above, it isn't crypto that they share a common
thread on. The social consequences of crypto are debatable only because
it's still a baby...

> 4. one poster's label; and anyone can post here

More an observation of shared motive of a particular segment of the other 
posts (who self-apply these labels mind you).


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