Money IS information, or rather, money is a representation of an abstract form
of information, called value. Money isn't just green paper or coins, it's a
physical object carrying information. I don't know that information exists in a
pure form, since the only way it can be used (or held) is in some form of
physical representation (even thoughts are chemical and physical reactions)
I've been following this thread, because I like the idea of the free-flow
of information, but I don't know that it's possible. Since what you're talking
about always has a physical representation, someone is going to own it. Unlike
other things (in general) giving away information doesn't deprive you of it, but
it does deprive you of whatever you used to transport it from your mind to
theirs, excepting speech not sold. Even that deprives you of the amount of time
it took you to tell the person (time again being an abstraction of information)
From: Samantha Atkins <samantha@objectent.com>
Subject: Re: Privacy now and in the future
Jason Joel Thompson wrote:
> Absolute disagreement, for precisely the reasons I have already cited. Your
> direct equation of "power" with "freeness" is simplisitic. Does money
> become more powerful if it's free? Or it is made useful by the
> control/limits we place on it?
>
I did not make a simplistic association. I do not speak a vague
generality. I am speaking of information and only of information, not
of money. Please keep on topic.
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