sourceType:: article author:: Eric Hughes sourcePublication:: activism.net ref:: https://activism.net/cypherpunk/manifesto.html noteTitle:: A Cypherpunk’s Manifesto; Eric Hughes. (article)
A Cypherpunk’s Manifesto; Eric Hughes. (article)
“Cypherpunks deplore regulations on cryptography, for encryption is fundamentally a private act. The act of encryption, in fact, removes information from the public realm. Even laws against cryptography reach only so far as a nation’s border and the arm of its violence. Cryptography will ineluctably spread over the whole globe, and with it the anonymous transactions systems that it makes possible.
The act of encryotion removes information from the public realm… This is similar to what I was saying to eric and jack re [[dalten-quartus-signal-chat-murder-island-and-philosphy]]❌. Related to this quote from the same chat:
If the capacity of the individual to do the thing absent a tool means the tool has no intent and the designers intent isn’t enacted when using the tool, then all you’re really saying is “anything I can imagine doing a difficult way is mine and no invention is novel”
the “null invention”. encrytion is nullifying information, which is bringing the environment back to a prior state before you created the information - and if you created it to begin with, it feels like it should be yours to nullify.
On cooperation and coordination with others:
For privacy to be widespread it must be part of a social contract. People must come and together deploy these systems for the common good. Privacy only extends so far as the cooperation of one’s fellows in society”
I don’t know… you can encrypt your own data and just leave it at rest. but yes, if you want to communicate with others you need to coordinate. and “the common good” beyond those you directly interact with requires even greater coordination and widespread consciousness-shifting, yes.