[108263] in Cypherpunks
Y2K: THE BIGGEST FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Anonymous)
Wed Feb 10 00:11:21 1999
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 05:56:43 +0100
From: Anonymous <nobody@replay.com>
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Reply-To: Anonymous <nobody@replay.com>
Y2K: THE BIGGEST FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF
Expert advisers on the "year 2000 problem" are saying that panic about the
problem could be worse than the problem itself. Planners are warning that
overreaction to the perceived problem could cause bank runs, food and
gasoline hoarding, and social disruptions. But overreaction now may be
preferable to overreaction later, says Y2K expert Charles Halpern, who is
urging those most likely to worry about the problem to go ahead and stock
up
now on the supplies that would make them emotionally comfortable. "There's
sufficient information for people to say there's a substantial risk of
disruption. Overreaction now is so much preferable to overreaction in
November that it's a risk worth running. People who want to lay in
supplies
of canned vegetables can do it now without disrupting anything." (New York
Times 9 Feb 99)
"we have to yet really seriously debate the constitutional issues and
whether or not we're willing to give up more freedom in order to have
more security" -- U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen, 3 Feb 1999
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Ben Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
