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Depending on a local warlord to protect your independent privately owned city-state (in exchange for a healthy cut out of your profits, of course) doesn't sound

by rob74 2y ago

Depending on a local warlord to protect your independent privately owned city-state (in exchange for a healthy cut out of your profits, of course) doesn't sound like something that is likely to work long term. But at least one well known crypto-libertarian seems to be making some money out of it: > With Thailand cutting off power and telecommunications, electricity comes from diesel generators, which are expensive to run. And communications go through Elon Musk's Starlink satellite system, which is also very costly.

noja 2y ago
Musk, the crypto libertarian who works for the US government?
- rob74 2y ago
  I suspect that when he's done working for it, there won't be a (functioning) government anymore, so yes.
  - dr-detroit 2y ago
    I am offended by the foul Musk as much as the next guy but if we are being fair wasn't the story always that the federal government was a disfunctional mess? Does anybody think our leadership over the last 50 years accomplished anything worth preserving? I was taught in civics nobody is really trustworthy to open a new constitutional convention and change things but if we never take any risks wont that be bad too?
    - noja 2y ago
      Muskism dictates that you must decry the terrible state of whatever-it-is before destroying it (but skip over the part about what the replacement will be).
rsynnott 2y ago
> Depending on a local warlord to protect your independent privately owned city-state (in exchange for a healthy cut out of your profits, of course) doesn't sound like something that is likely to work long term. Well, you're going to need _something_ like that (I suppose there's also the Be Your Own Warlord option, but that's presumably even more expensive). Provided the warlord is getting paid, they seem less likely to ask questions of dodgy fake cities than an actual government is (for instance see Honduras, where the current government is trying to get rid of the weird libertarian fake-city authorised by the previous government).

by rob74 2y ago

noja 2y ago

Musk, the crypto libertarian who works for the US government?

rob74 2y ago
I suspect that when he's done working for it, there won't be a (functioning) government anymore, so yes.
- dr-detroit 2y ago
  I am offended by the foul Musk as much as the next guy but if we are being fair wasn't the story always that the federal government was a disfunctional mess? Does anybody think our leadership over the last 50 years accomplished anything worth preserving? I was taught in civics nobody is really trustworthy to open a new constitutional convention and change things but if we never take any risks wont that be bad too?
  - noja 2y ago
    Muskism dictates that you must decry the terrible state of whatever-it-is before destroying it (but skip over the part about what the replacement will be).

rsynnott 2y ago

> Depending on a local warlord to protect your independent privately owned city-state (in exchange for a healthy cut out of your profits, of course) doesn't sound like something that is likely to work long term. Well, you're going to need _something_ like that (I suppose there's also the Be Your Own Warlord option, but that's presumably even more expensive). Provided the warlord is getting paid, they seem less likely to ask questions of dodgy fake cities than an actual government is (for instance see Honduras, where the current government is trying to get rid of the weird libertarian fake-city authorised by the previous government).