tl;dr The state has manipulated people to see plastic cards as necessary and more real or substantial than someone's own statements or reputation. Hence the symbolism of a plastic card, rather than a simple spoken or written statement (or signed message in the case of PGP, Bitcoin or Nostr).
Personally I don't believe that ID cards should be required. Just saying your name or using a keypair should be enough (anonymity works in many cases too). Then your actions will build your reputation.
However many people nowadays believe that "a plastic card with your photo on it" is a sign of trust or legitimacy. People believe in these plastic cards like they believe in fiat money. It holds such a strong weight - if you are allowed to work, rent an apartment, visit a doctor, pickup mail, buy a sim card.
Plastic cards replaced self-declaration and word-of-mouth reputation, just as fiat money replaced precious metals. A state-enforced idea took precedence over something material and observable (i.e. you are John Smith because that's how you introduce yourself and do business). In some cases, usernames and passwords, cryptographic keys or pseudonyms have replaced plastic cards. But the state's fearmongering has unfortunately been effective - a lot of people really want to see a plastic card before they will do business with you.
As already stated, allowing the state to be the sole arbiter of "trust and legitimacy" actively leads to harm. The United Nations and Red Cross don't want to act as issuers of last resort. So if no one else will print a plastic card for you (that many people find important or necessary), why not take responsibility and do it yourself? This is unfortunately where it becomes a theoretical exercise, as it is unlikely that people would accept a self-printed card as proof of identity. But wouldn't it philosophically be better to have something that is universally accessible, that cannot be censored, that people can achieve through their own efforts?
World Passport and Digitalcourage have similar goals, but they are commercial and centralized. People have had anecdotal success with using the World Passport and Digitalcourage ID as proof of identity, despite that the state calls them "fantasy documents". The founder of World Passport, Garry Davis, even used his self-printed passport to travel and gained recognition from several nation-states (which is sadly no longer the case, otherwise World Passports could be a lifeline for stateless people, dissidents and conscientous objectors).
Of course it would be better to forego plastic cards entirely. Cash-in-hand deals and KYC-free services don't require one. But I think it is useful as a symbol. It almost fits into the existing framework, and makes people think and maybe question the rigidity of the state's monopoly.
For alternatives without ID cards (government or otherwise), on the philosophical side, there is agorism and parallel societies, and on the practical side, there is the infomal economy: word-of-mouth, classifieds, proxy merchants, local groups and circular economies.
tl;dr The state has manipulated people to see plastic cards as necessary and more real or substantial than someone's own statements or reputation. Hence the symbolism of a plastic card, rather than a simple spoken or written statement (or signed message in the case of PGP, Bitcoin or Nostr).
Personally I don't believe that ID cards should be required. Just saying your name or using a keypair should be enough (anonymity works in many cases too). Then your actions will build your reputation.
However many people nowadays believe that "a plastic card with your photo on it" is a sign of trust or legitimacy. People believe in these plastic cards like they believe in fiat money. It holds such a strong weight - if you are allowed to work, rent an apartment, visit a doctor, pickup mail, buy a sim card.
Plastic cards replaced self-declaration and word-of-mouth reputation, just as fiat money replaced precious metals. A state-enforced idea took precedence over something material and observable (i.e. you are John Smith because that's how you introduce yourself and do business). In some cases, usernames and passwords, cryptographic keys or pseudonyms have replaced plastic cards. But the state's fearmongering has unfortunately been effective - a lot of people really want to see a plastic card before they will do business with you.
As already stated, allowing the state to be the sole arbiter of "trust and legitimacy" actively leads to harm. The United Nations and Red Cross don't want to act as issuers of last resort. So if no one else will print a plastic card for you (that many people find important or necessary), why not take responsibility and do it yourself? This is unfortunately where it becomes a theoretical exercise, as it is unlikely that people would accept a self-printed card as proof of identity. But wouldn't it philosophically be better to have something that is universally accessible, that cannot be censored, that people can achieve through their own efforts?
World Passport and Digitalcourage have similar goals, but they are commercial and centralized. People have had anecdotal success with using the World Passport and Digitalcourage ID as proof of identity, despite that the state calls them "fantasy documents". The founder of World Passport, Garry Davis, even used his self-printed passport to travel and gained recognition from several nation-states (which is sadly no longer the case, otherwise World Passports could be a lifeline for stateless people, dissidents and conscientous objectors).
Of course it would be better to forego plastic cards entirely. Cash-in-hand deals and KYC-free services don't require one. But I think it is useful as a symbol. It almost fits into the existing framework, and makes people think and maybe question the rigidity of the state's monopoly.
For alternatives without ID cards (government or otherwise), on the philosophical side, there is agorism and parallel societies, and on the practical side, there is the infomal economy: word-of-mouth, classifieds, proxy merchants, local groups and circular economies.