Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site cybvax0.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!think!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh 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 Nor will my house, factory, or file of unpublished works in progress.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