Stephen Downes

Last week Lawrence Lessig ran himself into hot water while criticizing Kevin Kelly's depiction of the internet as the new socialism by arguing that "At the core of socialism is coercion" and definig social as "using the power of the state to force a result that otherwise would not have been chosen voluntarily by the people." Of course, no real socialists believe anything remotely like that characaterization, but this has not stopped Lessig from trying again. "By "coercion" I meant simply law -- that "socialism" is a system enforced by law, and enforced contrary to the way individuals would freely choose autonomously to associate." Well this is equally indefensible, as I elaborate in the comments.