From: Blanc Weber <blancw@microsoft.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 94 17:11:29 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: RE: THE LAST WORD... (maybe)
Message-ID: <9409230012.AA02451@netmail2.microsoft.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


From: Sandy Sandfort

Now everybody can either waste their time thinking up really
neat-o keen-o ways to whack innocent spouses, business enemies
and rich uncles, or you can support strong crypto and privacy by
thinking up ways to mitigate the potentially negative
side-effects of crypto-anarchy.
................................................................

Isn't it just another means to an end, like all others.   Should only a 
few be allowed to use a system, method, or invention; should there be 
barriers against tools because someone might misuse them or misapply 
them, etc. (same arguments)

My question, in noting the possibilities discussed, was to consider 
what the means of defense would be against such an event transpiring.   
Not a responsibility for some law-enforcement agency to take up, but 
for potential victims.  Not that there is anything specific which 
cypherpunks should think up to counter the possibility that crypto will 
be used for murder-for-hire, but just that it is always necessary for 
independent anarchist types to arrange for their own solutions to the 
problems of technological advancement (or any other kind).

"Technology" (actually, technologists) make new things possible or 
easier, and those who exist in the milieu within that culture must find 
a way to deal with the consequences of the new introduction into their 
midst.  That is the ideal, right   -  you ascend to new heights of 
knowledge, ability, and efficacy, rather than keeping everyone on a 
lower level of functioning because someone might get out of hand and 
create a problem for others.

I wouldn't think,  "oh, it can't be done", simply because I myself 
can't imagine it.  I would think, "so  - what could I do about that", 
seeing as how it could be possible to someone and as how it isn't 
realistic to expect to be able to stop *every* one from reasoning along 
those lines.

And I can think of things which an individual could do to deal with 
such contingencies, but could there be a crypto solution?

Blanc