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FC: Charles Platt on "collectivism" and Larry Lessig's book Code
From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 08:48:31 -0500
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 14:47:03 -0500 (EST) From: Charles Platt <cp () sedona net> To: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com> cc: politech () vorlon mit edu, Charles Platt <cp () sedona net> Subject: Collectivism Declan-- The most important detail in the very interesting book excerpt that you quoted is, to me, the word "collectively." When any writer tells me that "we must do something" and it should be done "collectively," alarm bells go off in my brain--because it is solipsistic, mischievous, and probably hypocritical for a writer (that most solitary, often unconventional creature) to suggest what "we" should do for "our" benefit, based purely on the writer's idiosyncratic views as opposed to a thorough survey of public opinion. I am also interested that the text you quote contains an implicit assumption that a free market is somehow less representative of legitimate human desires than a government program. In my experience, most government programs are initiated by corrupt techno-illiterates whose feelings of self-worth derive from telling other people what to do. This is not an encouraging system for achieving justice in any area, least of all in markets or human environments which involve computer technology. But the most fascinating suggestion is that the "Declans of Netspace" (I am paraphrasing) constitute some kind of juggernaut, more powerful than all federal agencies put together. Flattering, but inaccurate. So far as I am aware, there is only one Declan at this point, who functions more as a voice in the wilderness than as a de-facto master of Net policy; and he has no legal authority and relatively limited financial resources. Also, by my definition (oh please forgive me, Declan, but I cannot resist), the implication that your libertarian naivety stems from youthful inexperience is unfair and unjustified, since you're not really that young anymore. Truth is in the eye of the beholder; and those who circulate views which contradict our own will always seem bigger, badder, and more powerful than they really are. Feel free to convey my comments back to the writer you quoted, if you have his email address. You may identify me as a senior writer for Wired magazine (my current title) although of course I'm sure he would regard Wired, like Declan, as another unstoppable, unreasoning antigovernment instrument of agitprop, even though it has published no overtly political articles for a couple of years, now, so far as I am aware. --Charles
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- FC: Charles Platt on "collectivism" and Larry Lessig's book Code Declan McCullagh (Nov 16)