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From: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Re: (micromotives & macrobehavior)
Message-ID: <770@cybvax0.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 23-Sep-85 14:42:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: cybvax0.770
Posted: Mon Sep 23 14:42:06 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 25-Sep-85 12:32:06 EDT
References: <3476@topaz.UUCP> <28200073@inmet.UUCP> <567@x.UUCP>
Reply-To: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Organization: Cybermation, Inc., Cambridge, MA
Lines: 23
Summary: 

In article <567@x.UUCP> wjr@x.UUCP (STella Calvert) writes:
> But (I think I hear a voice crying) how are you going to defend yourself
> against a rival group with nuclear weapons?  Simple.  I'm not.  If you convert
> me from a productive person to a vortex of plasma, I won't be much use to you.
> Nor will my house, factory, or file of unpublished works in progress.  So nuke
> me!   that can be blackmailed into surrendering for the individual.>

Terrorism isn't the only use of nuclear attack.  If your existence is of
negative utility to me (perhaps you compete), then I have plenty of motivation
to want to nuke you.  For example, if you are a major steel or chip
manufacturer, and I am another, vaporizing you and your plant doesn't let
me use them.  But it does give me a shot at your market share, reduces supply
for my product and reduces demand for the raw materials I consume.  I stand to
profit by this policy of waste rather than theft.

There are alternative ways to work towards protection in a libertarian style
society (though I'm skeptical of them).  But to stick your head in the sand
and think it is unprofitable to attack you leaves you at risk of discovering
that your body is no longer there.
-- 

Mike Huybensz		...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh