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Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key'

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Rich <rich@example.invalid> writes:

> I also wonder how many times a "Target data breech", "Home Depot data
> breech", "X data breech", etc. has to occur before the lemmings begin
> to wonder: "if all these folks can't keep secrets secret, why do we
> think the govt. can do any better of a job....".
> 
> Although, I do suspect the problem is the general lemmingness of the
> general populace.  The "I don't want to think for myself, so please,
> you do the thinking for me and tell me what to believe" mentality.
> [...]
> Add pixie dust, and it will "just work"....

In defence of T.C. Mits [1], we're having something like a complexity
catastrophe.  Understanding what's going on "out there", whether in
digital tech, crypto, banking, law or other domains, really *is* too
hard.  Some of it, such as crypto, is intrinsically hard but in
general, it's too hard because there's too much of it and there's too
much underlying detail to be mastered.

I'm inclined to think I have "the hacker naturef [2] (although most of
my hacking has been with tangible objects.)  I have a degree in a hard
science; program at an amateur level in 3 languages; have mastered a
difficult craft; have years of experience in a mechanical trade; read
neuroscience, comp sci and math as a hobby.  Have an eccentric
lifestyle that allows me to pursue all of that more or less at whim.

And much of what the system, the ubiquitous "they", throws at me is
too hard, to recursively complicated, for me to understand it.  I'm in
a position to just forego some things such as credit cards but
T.C. Mits typically isn't.

If you, comp.misc reader, understand fully how your smart phone's apps
may subvert your privacy, do you understand your loop(s) of Henle?  If
you're an MD and well up on the kidney, what do you know about the
risks of your car's ABS or of your office's digital medical records?
If you're a wizard (computer) hacker with a master's in biology, do
you fully understand the attack surface presented by the global
financial system and how your humble credit/debit card, GIC or
mortgage may be affected?

And that's assuming that you have an IQ over 100, which, very loosely
speaking, half the Mits don't.

And that doesn't even *mention* such time- and attention-consuming,
quotidian matters as making a living, taking care of a family, dealing
with health problems and so on.

It's easy to scorn the lemming-like behavior of The Geat Unwashed [3]
but I submit that even those brighter, more diligent, more curious,
more literate and numerate than average with more time available than
typical for learning how stuff works, with a more critical and
observant disposition, are confronted daily with the complexity
catastrophe and must accept much of what comes along as pixie dust.
And either do pixie dust or else forego the many products and services
that they can't readily understand with available time and resources.

FWIW, etc. etc.

[1] The Celebrated Man in the Street. Google Lillian Lieber.

[2] See the "jargon file" aka Hacker's Dictionary

[3] Who, today, give nearly fetish-like attention to washing and personal
    hygiene products.
-- 
Mike Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada

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Thread

The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-10-09 01:43 +0000
  Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-10-09 14:16 +0000
    Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-10-09 16:26 +0000
      Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> - 2014-10-09 16:01 -0300
        Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-10-09 20:11 +0000
        Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2014-10-11 09:52 +0000
          Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> - 2014-10-11 15:31 -0300
            Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' polygonum <rmoudndgers@vrod.co.uk> - 2014-10-11 19:48 +0100
              Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> - 2014-10-12 00:01 -0300
    Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' Hils <hils@saynotospam.net> - 2014-10-09 19:34 +0100
      Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' mm0fmf <none@mailinator.com> - 2014-10-09 21:24 +0100
        Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-10-10 15:43 -0700
      Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-10-10 00:22 +0000
  Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' Gordon Henderson <gordon+usenet@drogon.net> - 2014-10-09 17:17 +0000
    Re: The Horror of a 'Secure Golden Key' RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-10-10 11:51 +0000

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