The legend of James Dalton Bell grows daily and the genius of his
cypherpunk contribution continues to unfold as a beautiful Lotus blossom.We
are getting a glimpse of the wider picture now and it supplies us with many
insights along the way.No T.O.E just yet,but you never never know!
To see that what Jim did is so staggeringly important,although written off
by many as staggeringly impotent,you need only look at the archives for
1996.To read the letters is like examining Leonardo's note books.It's been
suggested that Leonardo sabotaged those inventions of his that could be put
to use as war machines,even in spite of being hired specifically to create
engines of death.The realization by Jim that his invention,the combination
of several inventions,could not be abused by an hierarchic state and would
fit the emerging internet anarchism like a glove marks his crossover from
libertarian to anarchist imo.Remind me to ask him,don't people smuggle
letters anymore?
That a real live anarchist would arise on the list was on the cards ever
since crypto fascist,Tim May coveted,stalked,bashed and raped the word
anarchy to fit his,(telling phase,'manifesto.) tract,'Cryptoanarchist'.'
This wasn't the last authoritarian socialist cliche Tim found
irresistible.There was a brief mention in one of Tim's epics
about,extremely 'dark markets';when a million keys are struck,it's been
theorized some sense will emerge somewhere.Jim seems to have picked up this
ball and run with it following his 'mugging' by the IRS.What if these 'dark
markets' were not so dark after all.
World culture or Globalization is nowhere more apparent than in the
movies.One of the all time favorites is the seven samurai or the
magnificent seven that describes a 'dark market' in swords or guns for
hire.Only it's not dark at all,what could be sunnier and happier and
lighter than ridding your (global)village of some dangerous parasites?
Another slightly more obscure 'meme' was a book called the 'suicide club'
and a film called the,'assassination bureau'.The book describes a club for
suicides where lots are drawn,one for a willing victim,one for an
assassin,I don't know if Jim had read this but he describes himself at one
point of identifying with Ivan Dragomilov,the leader of the assassination
bureau,a secret society of assassins for hire.
Another film reference Jim makes is in his essay,I believe,its too the
film,'The Thomas Crown affair,'where various persons unknown to each other
get together to pull off a caper.When dealing with a taboo subject such as
violence,that is commonly proffered as a monopoly to the state,'dark'
questions are immediately raised,though that doesn't stop movies like the
Godfather trilogy being enormously influential and popular.
Murder Incorporated seems to transcend the tiny word meme itself in
influencing US culture,there are possibly still some on this list who
believe,nay,KNOW that Trafficante arranged the Kennedy assassination.
In the seventies it was time for rough justice to hit its straps in the
knockout action mini blockbuster of 'Dirty Harry.' By the time it reached
the 'dead pool' it was tired and formulaic however once again we have our
intertwined obsessions revealing themselves.What if there was a real dead
pool? What could the police do about it and even stop from becoming listed
on it themselves?
Revenge justice is the theme of many a Kung Fu classic and as these also
exploded in the seventies there is at least the subconcious influence of
retributive justice that is so often a feature of the Chinese popular
cinema. Science fiction as an influence? Certainly Jim is a trained chemist
and seems to have enjoyed at least one SF classic.'The day the earth stood
still.' The fuzzy logic or lateral thinking of Jims becomes apparent in his
'soft drill,' digression that flips his concept 180'. Strictly a masterpiece.
Was this a nod to Open Source,then emergent and exponentially exploding
along side the web?
Some of these speculations wont be settled till Jim walks free in 2010.It's
a damn shame APster didn't take off in 2001 to give Arthur C Clark
something to smile about.
The author of a short story on the death of a murderous astronaut would
surely get the joke even when the SS and various Mongo's still don't.Fans
of the perfect murder shouldn't have to wait long now as various hitmen and
wimmen go online to arrange things.Is this the end of the world? I have
ceased believing in the pollyanna of coarse cypherpunk determinism,Bob
Hettinger,yet his sig tag really is a latter day classic.
If you don't know it by heart already then you are not even a serious
lurker on this list.
So while I will be returning to this theme,this MEME and I supply a few
URLs to be keeping an eye on,its time to put the cat out and say happy Xmas
and a very good night to Joshua.
When Cypherpunks are called "terrorists," we will have done our jobs.
Font: Daschle-Anthrax-Bold
http://www.primitivism.com/assassination.htm
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,35620,00.html
http://freedom.orlingrabbe.com/lfetimes/jbellth.htm
http://www.stiffs.com/
"If we find negligence on the side of any person or institution...
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Public_20Subscription_20Assassination
... Public Subscription Assassination .Assassins sans Frontiers.
"If the police get in the way of our march, tangle with the blue-helmeted
motherfuckers and kill them and send them to the morgue slab."
Bullets whizzing in the general direction of uppity politicians are the
most eloquent of citizen protests.
A shadowy figure in a terrorist group has encouraged armed fighters to
target American interests and to extort, kidnap and murder American citizens.
"The United States has declared war," he said in a radio message to armed
freedom fighters "Our obligation is to fight them.Anyone who destroys
American interests, consulates, all missionary organisations, McDonald's,
KFC, Shell or Caltex petrol pumps or American Express, or anyone who cuts
off the head of an American, you will be given complete protection and a
special place in paradise."
For me the commonality is the ideas of self-management, self-activity,
self-directed struggle, horizontal and decentralised networks, diversity
versus a correct line, direct action and direct democracy and an
extra-parliamentary, anti-state and anti-capitalist approach to politics.
The labels are not as important, the common ground is.
