[ExI] Libertarianism wins again...

[Samantha Atkins]

On 07/20/2011 08:47 AM, Will Steinberg wrote:
> Sorry I can't be as starry-eyed as some of you.  Government needs to 
> be there to do things that couldn't be paid for or organized 
> otherwise.  Sorry (again,) but it's true.

You seem awfully sorry.

>  Countless infrastructural components of our daily lives cannot simply 
> tune into the wondrous libertarian free-market force,

Assertion, not fact.

> because there is no cognizant demand for them. Everything that is a 
> unitary product, people can pay for.  Some things, like highways, will 
> never be a dollar at the local supermarket.

Why would you have a supermarket in highways?  In fact many many roads 
and highways were privately funded and paid off.

>  This is what taxes and tolls are for, because most people living in a 
> country are too unaware of the fact that countless government-provided 
> amenities that they use every day require money to maintain. 

Many of the afore mentioned private roads were paid for by tolls without 
government involvement.    You are claiming implicitly that all these 
things would not exist without government involvement and reasoning on 
this unproved claim.  Pretty weak.

>  If you're so concerned about the evils of current-day government 
> (which are very, very scary and apparent)--do something about it!  Go 
> make a new government somewhere!

Are you sure that is still possible?  Where exactly?  But yes, I intend 
to be part of such if at all possible.

>
> Because I can guarantee your libertarian paradise will never exist. 
>  Now, more then ever, a benevolent controlling force is needed to make 
> sure things proceed in the right direction.  Do you not have the drive 
> to become it?  Because I will, if you don't.

Benevolent controlling force?  If it is so benevolent why does it need 
to be forced?  What sort of entity is so hyper intelligent it can always 
make the best decision, better than any local and immediately concerned 
actors?  Can't be an AGI as local AGIs would still have more information 
and more immediate focused reaction times than more central ones.  I 
think you would have to go to some mystical being to claim this is the 
best solution without obvious issues (other than mystical claptrap that is).

- s