Does Europe Embrace the Agora Greater Than the United States?
There could be no Google without an Internet. It's interesting to note that many of the public or pseudo-public layers, such as HTML and LINUX, arose in a European context, where the ideal of the Agora is more influential than in the USA.
-Jaron Lanier in The Gory Antigora: Illusions of Capitalism and Computers
For information on what "agora" means in a political context, see Endervidualism, Agoraphilia, or BlackCrayon.com. Simply put, an agora is a place or condition where freedom, openness, and tolerance for individuality are prevailing values. Readers, feel free to offer corrections or additions. The gist is quickly absorbed by reading the above links.Given that, consider the current state of European politics. I think Mr. Lanier has some 'splaining to do if he really thinks the broad European polity prefers the voluntary social interactions implied by an agora over the coercion necessary to maintain state functions and authority. It is true that the difference between Europe and America on this subject is one of ever-dwindling degree. However, I don't think the facts point to his conclusion here, unless he was trying to quietly reference utopian communism.
In which case, Mr. Lanier has bigger problems.