Cypherpunks
by Julian Assange · first published 2012
42% recommend58% neutral
Why HN recommends it
A short, opinionated look at the cypherpunk movement's ideas on privacy, cryptography and the internet's politics. It covers the culture and ethos behind early online activism and WikiLeaks.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2007–2026The Intelligent Investor
Benjamin Graham
Recommended by 152 · mentioned by 244152 recommend · 244 mention152 recommend · 244152 recommend
2008–2026Outliers
Malcolm Gladwell
Recommended by 99 · mentioned by 30099 recommend · 300 mention99 recommend · 30099 recommend
2007–2026Neuromancer
William Gibson
Recommended by 296 · mentioned by 780296 recommend · 780 mention296 recommend · 780296 recommend
2007–2026How to Win Friends and Influence People
Dale Carnegie
Recommended by 579 · mentioned by 853579 recommend · 853 mention579 recommend · 853579 recommend
This Machine Kills Secrets - Andy Greenberg - http://www.thismachinekillssecrets.com/ Cypherpunks - Julian Assange with Jacob Appelbaum, Andy Müller-Maguhn and Jérémie Zimmermann - http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/cypherpunks/
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in 2012” ↗…7-8 years), and has also lived in various parts of the west (Australia, UK, US), I agree with you that the west isn't much better. For more discussion on why this absolutely is the case, see (1) the Cypherpunks interviews at http://assange.rt.com/ (2) the longer-form Cypherpunks book at http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/cypherpunks/ (3) Bruce Schneier's recent essay at http://www.schneier.com/essay-420.html (which…
on “China's internet: A giant cage” ↗…(1994) by Timothy C. May <https://nakamotoinstitute.org/virtual-communities/> "A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace" (1996) by John Perry Barlow <https://www.eff.org/cyberspace-independence> Cypherpunks (2012) by Julian Assange et al. <http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/cypherpunks/>
on “When China Rules the Web” ↗"Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet" Julian Assange. "Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Conquest of Darkess." Warren Carroll
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗…of the early culture and an "open source gnuru" (shudder), is a vocal supporter of Assange, and has stated clearly his belief that Wikileaks has that hack value I mentioned above. I recommend the book Cypherpunks to get a feel for the actual cultural and technical ethos surrounding Wikileaks, for anyone interested. For a rebuttal to the incredible amount of crappy reporting on the legal side, Nils Melzer's book…
on “Hacking physics from the back of a napkin (2020)” ↗This was on of the many interesting points made in the book "Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet" by Julian Assange. http://cryptome.org/2012/12/assange-crypto-arms.htm
on “Estimated Cost to Store All US Phone Calls Made in a Year” ↗You can read book by Julian Assange, that was first published in 2012, the year of emergence of Cicada 3301, and named “Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet” (https://www.amazon.com/Cypherpunks-Freedom-Internet-Julian-A... and compare its content to the message, that was sent to the winners of Cicada 3301 competition…
on “Puzzle made by the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for the university quest” ↗…redefine force relations. If we do not, the universality of the internet will merge global humanity into one giant grid of mass surveillance and mass control. We must raise an alarm. Julian Assange, 'Cypherpunks': http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/cypherpunks/
on “Pirate Bay Founder Could Be Prosecuted For Hacking “Within a Month”” ↗Jacob Applebaum: "The Four Horsemen of the Info-pocalypse: child pornography, terrorism, money laundering, and The War on Some Drugs." - Cypherpunks, p43. O/R Books. http://www.orbooks.com/catalog/cypherpunks/ The book (and The World Tomorrow interviews at http://assange.rt.com/ from whence it spawned) go on to explain why these arguments are extremely…
on “Tor exit node operator raided in Austria” ↗…view, but had a sobering re-take realizing I was discussing it with the mother of a friend (anakata) internationally abducted and placed in solitary without charge by his own state. Elsewhere throughout 'Cypherpunks', Assange and Applebaum indicate they believe this to be our general technological trajectory (p4,14,87,90,159), ie. state-run drones constantly (re)targeted by the emerging surveillance panopticon.…
on “Ask HN: Autonomous drones; a solution?” ↗…leftists. But since the 80s, they've focused more on libertarians, anarcho-capitalists, conspiracy theorists, etc. Look at RT, for example, and who its fans are. So yes, Assange and associates roughed out Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet (2012) on his RT show, "World Tomorrow". The goal is "independence from the security guards of the world". For better or worse, that's pretty much the US. Bottom…
on “CIA malware and hacking tools” ↗…decentralization of political and mass-media control needs to be won back first. Where does the western world want to go today? The government surveillance dyastopia and endless drone-wars of Assange's Cypherpunks introduction (http://cryptome.org/2012/12/assange-crypto-arms.htm) or some kind of free education, basic income guaranteed, relative socialist utopia? A false dichotomy, for sure, but extremely worrisome…
on “Confessions of A Job Destroyer” ↗…continued obsession over Hillary's emails and the phrasing of the social media accounts is definitely not congruent with the clear-headed logic and essays that Assange has written in the Wikileaks manifesto, "Cypherpunks", and others. The Wikileaks Twitter handle just used a Fox News video as evidence for something. You could say the man's gone insane, but the theory of these accounts and the WL org being subverted…
on “CIA malware and hacking tools” ↗Thanks, looks great. It's by Julian Assange and a few others. First words of the book: "What is a Cypherpunk? Cypherpunks advocate for the use of cryptography and similar methods as ways to achieve societal and political change. Founded in the early 1990s, the movement has been most active during the 1990s “cryptowars”…
on ““This destroys the RSA cryptosystem”” ↗Here's another excerpt from "Cypherpunks" at Salon: http://www.salon.com/2012/12/02/julian_assange_the_web_can_c... You can only buy this book direct from the publisher. Amazon isn't carrying it.
on “Julian Assange: Cryptographic Call to Arms” ↗