On Thu, 9 Sep 1999, Ian Goddard wrote:
> If they do not adhere to the strict private-property principle,
> the door is wide open to the subordination of the individual to
> "collective interests" as defined by those with the most power
> to enforce their definition of the "collective interest" with
> the aid of advanced technology.
And if they do adhere to the strict private-property, non-interference principle, this is absolutely a recipe for a deranged meglomaniac who wants to *control* all other individuals and subordinate your interests. The average man on the street is trumped by genius level megalomaniacs. The only defense against this is the organization (in some way) of the collective intelligence of the average man.
> While we desire technology advances that will empower the average
> individual by fostering independence from central powers, those in power
> are interested in technology that will empower those in power and foster
> subservience to them.
While, those *individuals* who are "control freaks", unregulated by "external" (note I didn't say central) forces, will attempt to develop technologies that enable them to enforce their will upon all of the un-suspecting "Libertarians".
> Technology and its advance is not inherently ethical, and thus the
> anti-Luddite attitude expressed by Extropians minus the PPP is a
> surefire recipe for the worst technological nightmares that we can't
> even begin to imagine. By abandoning strict adherence to the PPP, the
> ExI opens the door to making the future a nightmare, to making
> technology our enemy.
By abandoning methods or paths that allow the regulation or control of megalomaniacs or terrorists that seek to make their philosophy dominant, Libertarians with a Private Property Principle leave themselves vulnerable to anyone who is smarter who is willing to take a slow approach to developing an overwhelming force. If I need to pool my resources with my fellow citizens to create defenses against people like Stalin, Hitler, Hussein, etc. then I for one will be doing it *even* if what results is not *my* property.
Robert