[jMyles]

> but the idea that the state shouldn't spy on him in turn is ludicrous.

I think that a healthy plurality of us here don't even really believe that the state's existence is just to begin with, much less its proclivity to spy on those seeking to shine light on its indiscretions.

[jhayward]

> a healthy plurality of us here don't even really believe that the state's existence is just to begin with

The idea that the largest group of people on HN do not believe states should exist is straight up delusional. Why is it that you believe that it is so?

[jMyles]

I don't have a good reason for thinking this, and perhaps I might be more likely to achieve certainty if I limited my query to the USA HN audience, but I think that there is a widespread sense that the internet, insofar as it represents some evolutionary mechanism, is unlikely to tolerate the capricious and childish tendencies that the state seems to continually embody.