Friday
(0)Arnold Kling makes an excellent point about Doc Searl's 'statement of geekonomics' dating back to 2000.
There is a classic line attributed to John Gilmore that "The Internet interprets censorship as damage and routes around it." Economists might say that markets try to route around the damage caused by monopolists or government regulators. I view Searls as saying that with the Internet and markets, consumers do not need their paternalistic advocate so much.To me, Searlsian Geekonomics sounds more like Hayekian libertarianism than Deanian re-regulationism. I don't think that the Dean campaign deserved such a strong Geekbone. To me, the logic of Geekonomics is to lead one to be skeptical of the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party.
I find Doc Searls very sound on almost all issues other than his support for Dean's campaign. I am glad that someone pointed out the contradiction in his position.
"Supply has pretty much controlled demand ever since Industry won the Industrial Revolution..."
This is not entirely true. In fact the consumer is the one in control casting votes with his dollars. The producer which does not obey the consumers voice is out of business quickly.
It is the consumer that decides who controlls capital. Not the capitalist that decides what gets produced.
Posted by Rutherford at February 20, 2004 11:01 PM
Er...Rutherford, if you read Doc Searls' essay you will find that is exactly the point he is making.
Posted by Gabriel Syme at February 21, 2004 01:35 AM
