X-Message-Number: 26842
From: "Kitty Antonik Wakfer" <>
Subject: RE: Numberman (Stodolsky)
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 23:23:22 -0400

>
> Message #26833
> References: <>
> From: David Stodolsky <>
> Subject: Re: Numberman
> Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 21:35:38 +0200
>
> On 17 Aug 2005, at 01:55, Kitty Antonik Wakfer wrote:
>
> > On our MoreLife Yahoo group, we
> > have recently put into effect the requirement that posters (as
> > opposed to simply
> > lurking members) fully identify themselves to us (including picture
> > ID which we purge
> > from our computer after satisfying ourselves that it is authentic)
> > and use their full
> > names in their messages (in the header and/or following the text).
> > This new
> > requirement has elicited considerable discussion from a few who do
> > not follow our
> > explanations that information about a person is in the same
> > category of necessary
> > assessment criteria as information about any product or service,
> > which is being made
> > more and more widely available to everyone on the Internet in
> > response to their
> > desires.
>
> Anonymity, when used correctly, is crucial to range of social
> processes. Some examples are scientific publication and voting:

Since anonymity is inconsistent with the free flow of necessary evaluative
information, it is impossible for it to be " used correctly". Stodolsky's two

examples of a "range of social processes" show that very clearly. Voting 
(democracy

in general) is the method by which the anonymous perpetrate coercive measures 
against

their neighbors which they would likely never think of doing and would certainly
not

dare to do in an open direct personal manner. Anonymous peer review of 
scientific

papers allows scientific reviewers to criticize the work of a fellow scientist 
while
bearing no responsibility for their opinions. If a person is not willing to

personally stand behind his opinion then either he should not make it, or if 
made
under that condition, then it should be taken by others as worthless since it
essentially comes from "nobody".


Any voluntary "social process" which Stodolsky produces that uses anonymity can 
be

shown to work far better in the long-run - after people get used to it and 
understand

why - under the conditions of complete openness of the decisions and actions of 
all
participants.

<snip>

**Kitty Antonik Wakfer
MoreLife for the rational - http://morelife.org
Reality based tools for more life in quantity and quality
Self-Sovereign Individual Project - http://selfsip.org
Rational freedom by self-sovereignty & social contracting

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