[extropy-chat] The end of crime as we used to know it?

[Samantha Atkins]

On Mar 22, 2004, at 1:29 PM, Rafal Smigrodzki wrote:
> ### But Eugen, all that you write is again arguing against 
> authoritarians
> using or suppressing surveillance technology (and arguing against
> authoritarians is usually futile, since they will do what they want, 
> not
> what you suggest), or against sheeple, but nothing really argues 
> against the
> use of private surveillance technologies in reasonably democratic 
> societies.
>
> (I wrote "again" because I remember you writing almost the same lines 
> a year
> ago, or so.)
>

Ultimately, it will come down to whether any politician will want to go 
on record for limiting the intelligence, memory, and ability to 
communicate of his or her constituents.    As technology moves forward 
it will eventually become assumed that no one ever forgets anything 
they have experienced and that they are able to replay that experience 
with high fidelity at any time.  Less than this is placing hard limits 
on human cognitive ability.  It is a claim that if you were not born 
with such an ability then you have it only at the discretion of the 
State.  I don't think that will play very well.

- samantha