The Internet, The State, and Liberty

With all this fuss over Wikileaks, I’ve noticed that the supporters seem to believe that the Internet has provided the technology to combat tyranny and corruption like nothing else.  I think many people are becoming arrogant in thinking that they can beat the State simply by logging on.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the State has always found a way to combat the efforts of the people to be free.  It is reflected in the long history of man’s struggle to dominate and fight against dominance.

The natural tendency of the State is to devise new means to conquer, to subdue, and to crush the opposition.  The very nature of the government is similar to a drug cartel (or any other cartel, really).  They do not like competition and they will fight tooth and nail to keep their power.

What Wikileaks has done is annoy them.  Sure, they have retaliated against Julian Assange, as any sane person would argue that Assange is innocent if the only evidence is a broken condom.  We all know that these rape charges are bogus and that the State is using these women in order to set an example for the rest of us.  Of course, to believe that, you’d also have to believe that there was some group behind the scenes orchestrating the events we are seeing now.

Whoever they are, if they do exist, it is clear that they seek to dominate and profit from the rest of us.  My chief goal in life has been to get to a point where I don’t have to be bothered by anyone.  I have no desire for power or dominion over others.  Why should I seek to steal the freedom of my fellow man in order to obtain my own?  Sure, it’s much more difficult to do so, but I think it is all worth it.

These men have other ideas in mind.  Many of them are probably guided by their own ideologies, which are more than likely various Statist theories, such as Fascism, communism, and Socialism, cobbled together for their own benefit.  I’m certain there is a religious component as well, although they may have devolved into mere hedonists without reverence to any god, which makes them even more dangerous.  Say what you want about religion, but it does keep most people honest.

Conspiracy aside, the very nature of the State is one of violence and vengeance.  Sure they use terms like ‘armed conflict’, ‘justice’, and ‘equality’, but if you have any sense you’ll know that the State is always set up not to govern, but to oppress.  Sure, every once and a while some men come along who seek to establish something better, like the Founding Fathers did, but that never lasts long.  It didn’t take long for the Federal government to pass the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Keep in mind also that while the Internet is an electronic repository of trillions of ideas (and many like mine are usually worthless), there are physical points of access that the State can regulate and control.  Routers can be shut down, wires can be cut, and domains can be blocked.  The United States government has demonstrated slick craftiness in developing a worm that literally took out Iran’s nuclear program, even though that whole system was on a closed network.  Do not assume for a minute that the State cannot come up with ways to properly deal with activity like Wikileaks.

Is the fight worth it?  Well, you have to weigh the benefits of your freedom with the benefits of living under what is now a soft tyranny.  For many people, I suspect that this is not a hard choice to make and that living under a soft tyranny is a great trade off for the benefits you gain from it.  Like having the trains arrive on time and all that.

But don’t lose heart.  The United States was founded by a war of independence, of which only about 33% supported it.  Another third fled to Canada because they enjoyed tyranny.  So while those of us who love liberty and freedom are few, we are able to do so much more.  Never forget that a single man can change the course of humanity.