From: TruthMonger <tm@dev.null>
Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 13:14:37 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: `careerpunks'
Message-ID: <199705130448.WAA20281@wombat.sk.sympatico.ca>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Adam Back wrote:
> Seems to me many of the `cypherpunks' have become `careerpunks' and
> are now more interested in trading crypto tips, trade gossip, than in
> cypherpunks projects.
> 
> They went through the phase of buying kewl domain names (take a look
> down the subscriber lists), tinkering with remailers, and have now
> graduated to making money from crypto consulting, and lost interest in
> the issues where they don't add to the bottom line.

  People go through life changes and often try on different types of
attire/lifestyles at various points along their time-line. Hopefully,
they gather a few viewpoints and ideals along the way which will stay
with them throughout the outward changes in their interests and
directions in life.
  Doubtlessly, the cypherpunks list has sown many seeds of free thought
which are growing in different ways throughout the cryptography 
industry. If enough of these seeds have sprouted successfully then
there us always the possibility that the discussions on this list will
play a part in a modicum of free thought being a part of the process
by which future corporate decisions are made.

  Once one's consciousness (and conscience) has been exposed to a 
variety of viewpoints and influences it is harder to dismiss the views
of others out-of-hand.
  Immersing oneself in a narrower technological arena of crypto interest
such as is provided on the coderpunks and cryptography list is no doubt
beneficial to increased crypto-technical expertise. For those who choose
to retain their soul in the process, the cypherpunks list serves as an
island of anarchy in which the tendency to merge into corporate robot-
icism can be countered.

TruthMonger