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"The more secretive or unjust an organization is, the more leaks induce fear and paranoia in its leadership and planning coterie." "This must result in minimiz
by panarky 9y ago
"The more secretive or unjust an organization is, the more leaks induce fear and paranoia in its leadership and planning coterie."
"This must result in minimization of efficient internal communications mechanisms (an increase in cognitive
"secrecy tax") and consequent system-wide cognitive decline resulting in decreased ability to hold onto power as the environment demands adaption."
"Hence in a world where leaking is easy, secretive or unjust systems are hit nonlinearly relative to open, just systems. Since unjust systems, by their nature induce opponents, and in many places barely have the upper hand, mass leaking leaves them exquisitely vulnerable to those who seek to replace them with more open forms of governance."
-- Julian Assange
http://cryptome.org/0002/ja-conspiracies.pdf http://cryptome.org/0002/ja-conspiracies.pdf
- crpatino 9y agoI do not think unjust systems induce any more opponents than just ones. The history of the World would be much different if the onew who thrived were peoples that minded their own business and let their neighbours alone. But agreed on the broader subject of "secrecy tax".
- ambicapter 9y agoYeah I feel like secretive and unjust are two completely different things, and Julian Assange conflating the two doesn't reflect well on his already questionable character.
- jaggederest 9y agoSystems that are just do not generally require secrecy to the degree that unjust systems do, precisely due to the fact that when publicized, people will generally agree with just processes.
- lukevdp 9y agoExcept that even a just system has parts that can be taken out of context, and twisted to paint a narrative that it is not just.
- slavik81 9y agoThere are a whole bunch of examples of this, though "hide the decline" sticks out to me. It's also the justification for keeping courts open to public attendance but barring recording equipment (in Canada).
- jaggederest 9y agoThat's why I said "to the same degree", i.e. privacy is important, but you don't have to have the massive opacity required for large-scale unfairness to persist.