[LINK] RFI: Joint Select Ctee on Cybersafety

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

On 11/03/2011 4:15 PM, Karl Auer wrote:
> On Fri, 2011-03-11 at 14:15 +1000, rene wrote:
>> Probably obviously, but just in case not, my point is that I'm suggesting
>> you be prepared to deal with any such question
> I like quoting HL Mencken: "There is always a well-known solution to
> every human problem - neat, plausible, and wrong."
>
> Censorship is just such a solution. It is invariably proposed by people
> who have not thought through what the solution really means. It is the
> equivalent of flinging a sheet over unsightly rubbish instead of
> disposing if it; it sort of works, but it won't be long before the
> serious flaws in the plan become apparent, especially if the rubbish
> keeps coming.

IMHO, Mencken and Karl are both correct.  Censorship is a "Wicked 
Problem" and if the people who are trying to solve this Wicked Problem, 
don't know what one is, and, more importantly know how to go about 
attacking such monsters, they shouldn't be throwing solutions at it. The 
unintended consequences will bite everyone.

They could do worse than start by reading:
Tackling Wicked Problems
www.apsc.gov.au/publications07/wickedproblems.pdf

Or getting hold of
Tackling Wicked Problems
Through the Transdisciplinary Imagination
from CSIRO
http://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/6548.htm

But I'm not going to hold my breath. We seem to be back to the 
Dunning-Krugger effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning-Kruger_effect

-- 

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
email:	brd at iimetro.com.au
website:	www.drbrd.com