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1. Embed this notice
   Alexander Röhm (alroeh@social.tchncs.de)'s status on Sunday, 22-Dec-2024 08:10:47 JST Alexander Röhm

   in reply to

   • Cory Doctorow
   • Prof Prachi Srivastava
   • Elias Aarnio

   @Elias

   @octade @prachisrivas @academicchatter

   There is a very interesting take on this by @pluralistic in his novel "the bezzle", which illustrates the absurdity of this concept of laws. It seems nearly impossible for laypeople in the US to grasp an understanding of the laws applicable to a certain situation (and it can become quite costly to collect that intel).

   PS: In Germany it is still difficult to really understand the language of laws (and lawyers), but one can look it all up.

   • Embed this notice
     Elias Aarnio (elias@mementomori.social)'s status on Sunday, 22-Dec-2024 08:10:49 JST Elias Aarnio

     • Prof Prachi Srivastava

     @octade @prachisrivas @academicchatter

     Call me an idealist besserwisser but....

     It took me 20 years to understand that the hero lawyers of US tv series and movies who remember a huge amount of court cases is not just about remembering being fancy but it is the very nature of common law system. There is no other law in many cases.

     It was a shock for me as in German tradition that Finland has also followed, legislation is thematic and the laws are possible for a layman to understand.

     Especially in the US the principle of minimizing state of the founders has lead to a very undemocratic and dysfunctional legal structure. It is far too costly, complicated and fuzzy.

     Cory Doctorow repeated this.