Lessig thinks Declan's criticisms (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=601234) of his old book are mostly fair. Lessig's own position has changed, and if he hadn't been urged to do so, he wouldn't have responded at all.
Lessig has been reading libertarian authors over the years and has become more strongly libertarian himself. He even shares the view that "governments as we know them are hopeless."
But Lessig recognizes that technology is on a collision course with politics. Technology developed today for commercial ends can easy become a tool of power and force tomorrow (think AT&T rolling over for the Bush administration). So Lessig believes we should pay attention to the technology we are building.
Lessig thinks Declan's criticisms (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=601234) of his old book are mostly fair. Lessig's own position has changed, and if he hadn't been urged to do so, he wouldn't have responded at all.
Lessig has been reading libertarian authors over the years and has become more strongly libertarian himself. He even shares the view that "governments as we know them are hopeless."
But Lessig recognizes that technology is on a collision course with politics. Technology developed today for commercial ends can easy become a tool of power and force tomorrow (think AT&T rolling over for the Bush administration). So Lessig believes we should pay attention to the technology we are building.