I don't think it's a weird trick. Call me naive, but I think that there are plenty of statesmen (and -women obviously) who can see the writing on the wall and

I don't think it's a weird trick. Call me naive, but I think that there are plenty of statesmen (and -women obviously) who can see the writing on the wall and realize that their capacity to control reality doesn't extend to the ends of the universe. The emergence of the internet is an incredible happening for humanity, and the gamble that the relic of the state will somehow cork it is probably not a wise one. Nobody wants war - even the war profiteers don't want it in their hearts. Nobody wants violence or insecurity. At the end of the day, we're all here together on this little blue ball and we have to share power with each other and with nature. To the extent that the internet is a phenomenon of nature - which I think it's a very reasonable view - it's hardly a "weird trick".