Book Review

Crypto Anarchy, Cyberstates and Pirate Utopias

Peter Ludlow, a professor of philosophy at Stony Brook University recently published an anthology called Crypto Anarchy, Cyberstates, and Pirate Utopias that give the reader a history of just how our new World Wide Web has evolved. Most of the essays are from the early nineties, making the book more of a historical collection than the trendy title suggests.

A few of the pieces included are: The Californian Ideology by Richard Barbrook, A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace by John Perry Barlow, Hiding Crimes in Cyberspace by William E. Baugh Jr., Temporary Autonomous Zones by Hakim Bey, Law and Borders by David G. Post and David Johnson, The God of the Digerati by Jedediah S. Purdy. Other authors include: David S. Bennahum, David Brin, Andy Cameron, Dorothy E. Denning, Mark Dery, Kevin Doyle, Duncan Frissell, Eric Hughes, Karrie Jacobs, Peter Ludlow, Timothy C. May, Jennifer L. Mnookin, Nathan Newman, and Charles J. Stivale.

From virtual rape to self-reproducing systems, this book serves as a stepping stone in the examination of civilization. As an instructor, I appreciate the malleability of ideas that penetrate Crypto Anarchy, Cyberstates, and Pirate Utopias. It is easy reading, and an excellent discussion piece for the undergraduate who might be delving into law, sociology, media, philosophy, computer science, or politics.

Although most of the mid-nineties rhetoric is from and about the dominant groups of North America, this book produces rationale for eclectic beliefs, ideas, behaviors, theories and methods. Although a similarity between the authors is that they can be classified as fanatic visionaries, they are balanced with complex and thought provoking pieces.

All in all, Ludlow has put together a difficult book to summarize. Most of the pieces are from the mid-nineties and provide a historical framework of futuristic dreams. Ludlow arranges general, but adaptable, ideas into five topics: the sovereignty of the Internet, encryption and turmoil, legalities where judicial systems are absent, the evolution of online governing, and anti-utopian and utopian cyberspace views. Although Ludlow waits until each section to define his title, he tells the reader what he is going to do and does it.

The book begins with A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace by John Barlow and ends with Noam Chomskys' interview which discusses anarchism, Marxism, democracy, capitalism and the future. Best of all, Ludlow has provided the reader with an impressive index that helps the reader navigate the 510 page book.

Surprisingly, the essays include limited techno-jargon. Together, the writings provide an academic discourse that aids in the development of online community. Since many students have come to age in virtual communities, student affairs professionals should understand the political, economic and social influences that this "civilization" has on young adults. In fact, it could aid in the development of campus systems.

Although there is no direct correlation made between student affairs and Crypto Anarchy, Cyberstates, and Pirate Utopias, it is interesting to understand the evolution of the Internet and relate it to utopian culture of the University. Both the World Wide Web and student affairs are relatively new in terms of being classified as "civilizations. From parental notification, private and public space to zero tolerance, both Student Affairs and the Online World experience similar puerile growing pains.

Ironically, many of the essays in Crypto Anarchy, Cyberstates, and Pirate Utopias can be found online. If you can not decide whether or not to purchase this book, the pirate in me would say "go to http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol2/issue1/lambda.html, http://www.eff.org/~barlow/Declaration-Final.html or http://www.hermetic.com/bey/taz3.html#labelPirateUtopias where you will find a few of the essays that demonstrate the abstraction in Crypto Anarchy.

Ludlow, P. (Ed.), 2001. Crypto Anarchy, Cyberstates and Pirate Utopias. MIT Press (ISBN: 0-262-62151-7)