Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

We're living in a world where practically everyone is a criminal under some interpretation of the law. So law enforcement is arbitrary and only done discriminately.

The ability to break the law, and get away with it is not just vital for the functioning of society, but for social progress to keep advancing.

Gay rights would never have been won if it were possible for law enforcement to jail all gay people for existing (sodomy laws, etc.), for example.




Selective enforcement isn't a good thing... It's a symptom of a bad thing.

"Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime" - Lavrentiy Beria


Absolutely, government tends towards ever increasing authoritarianism and unjust criminalization of the people.

So the right to privacy (and therefore the ability to break the law) is one of the most important checks against government.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: