My wife is Bulgarian, and through her, I'm exposed to a lot of folks who escaped from behind the iron curtain before it fell. These people are a breath of fresh air to me. They understand what freedom is and how precious it is.

While most westerners are trading their freedoms for the promises of security, and smiling foolishly while they do it, I find myself more at home with my wife's group of friends, who take this stuff seriously. I think I'd get along with Mr. Brin just fine.