> a noticeable trend to me is what I'll call "the replacement of ethical expectations with specific, written down laws." That seems silly. Previous generatio

> a noticeable trend to me is what I'll call "the replacement of ethical expectations with specific, written down laws." That seems silly. Previous generations were far more likely to ban random things they didn't like vs. trusting to "ethical expectations". Prohibition? Sedition laws? Segregation? "Papers please"? Even something as comparatively benign as the Steve Jackson Games raid wouldn't happen today. Things are getting inexorably better and not worse in essentially every democracy in the world. In fact, a noticeable trend I've noticed is one where sheltered geeks in privileged careers tend to take infringement on their personal hobbies as a general problem with society and not just a minor blip in the forest of liberty.