Although this is a topic that needs a book-level dialogue to flesh out (and there are in fact books on the topic), in a nutshell:
The internet performs many of the functions that our species previously required government to do, but does so without the need for a centralized authority claiming a monopoly on the initiation of force, which brings with it inevitable corruption, violence, division, and victimization of the world's poor.
When stacked against the bang-up job that the US Government has done, not only on the landmass over which is claims sovereignty but the rest of the world - especially the continent of Africa - I'm certainly open to solutions other than government.
I'm from upstate NY - I grew up with superfund sites to the North, East, and West.
And yes, I'm glad that the EPA (and DoJ!) have occasionally done the right thing. But I don't think they've done the right thing often enough to suggest that the model they represent is the best humans can do.
I don't think it's a straw man at all. Some people are wonderful at manipulation and organization on the internet. Certain places on 4chan are wonderful when it comes to organizing people.
The causes they take up are mostly morally questionable. If people are going to organize on the internet places like 4chan will lead the way, for whatever that means.
