Through the social contract, "civilized society" was born.
> ...and began the path toward a sufficiently high level of
> technology where once again individuals could "own themselves"
I have argued on this list several times that for human beings to
coexist as individuals, on any platform, each must give up a measure of
his or her freedom (freedom to kill, freedom to steal, etc.)
Unfortunately I see no other way to do this, and also ensure that one
gives up no more freedom than another, other than a social contract.
People disagree as to the scope and extent of this contract, but I'm the
only one that seems to think that this is government any way you slice
it. And unfortunately, once you sign the contract, you no longer own
yourself entirely.