[ExI] lists going quiet, was: RE: list test

[spike]

> On 2013-07-28 08:33, Anders Sandberg wrote:

>>..." On large forums that have gone quiet the problem is more
likely that few want to say anything. That requires other
methods. "

>...So, Anders, what other methods do you suggest? I moderate
a couple forums (fori?) that have gone quiet.  And IMHO
it's more than summertime quiet.  Regards,  MB

_______________________________________________

MB, are you taking into account that many of your hippest hipsters whose
commentary ignites the biggest online discussions are migrating over to
darknets?  

Anyone who is paying attention is watching what is happening in the USA: our
government has been archiving everything, sharing information with other
governments which do not have the same free speech rights as we do.  The fed
has used the IRS to target enemies and the hell of it is this: there is a
serious current debate on whether or not it is actually illegal to use the
IRS as a completely unaccountable form of government power.  You can't go to
prison for what you write, but you can get an IRS audit, and the IRS answers
to no one.  I study our constitution and find nothing in there which
actually says the government may not target political enemies in this
fashion.  We had a president in the 70s (Nixon) who did it, was caught,
resigned in disgrace.  40 years went by, a president is caught doing the
same thing, doesn't resign, calls it a phony scandal.

I never worried much about privacy.  The most illegal thing I have ever done
is to rip a tag off of a pillow I bought.  But now a prole becomes an enemy
of the state for holding the opinion that we are Taxed Enough Already.
Holding that opinion has become the new crime, and the government is
apparently legally able to target those who hold it.

I can see where people will quietly disappear from any forum that can be
read by any government.

spike