Date of Birth: October 3, 1947
Zodiac Sign: Libra
Date of Death: February 7, 2018
Biography
John Perry Barlow was an American poet, essayist, and a cyberlibertarian political activist, best known for his work as a lyricist for the Grateful Dead and as a co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). Born in Sublette County, Wyoming, Barlow grew up on the Bar Cross Ranch and was deeply influenced by the open spaces and the rugged individualism of the American West. Barlow attended Wesleyan University, where he studied comparative religion and literature. After college, he returned to Wyoming and ran the family cattle ranch. However, his life took a different turn when he reconnected with Bob Weir, a high school friend who was a member of the Grateful Dead. Barlow began writing lyrics for the band in 1971, contributing to songs such as “Cassidy,” “Mexicali Blues,” and “Black-Throated Wind.” In the 1990s, Barlow became increasingly interested in the burgeoning digital world. He co-founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) in 1990 with Mitch Kapor and John Gilmore, advocating for civil liberties in the digital realm. Barlow was a vocal proponent of internet freedom and famously penned “A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace” in 1996. Throughout his life, Barlow was involved in various forms of writing, from poetry to political essays, and remained a prominent voice in discussions about technology, freedom, and the future of humanity.
5 Interesting Facts about John Perry Barlow
1. John Perry Barlow was a Fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society.
2. He was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2013.
3. Barlow co-founded the Freedom of the Press Foundation.
4. He was a supporter of the psychedelic movement and believed in the transformative power of psychedelics.
5. Barlow’s “A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace” was written as a response to the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from John Perry Barlow
1. “Relying on the government to protect your privacy is like asking a peeping tom to install your window blinds.”
2. “A good way to invent the future is to predict it.”
3. “The internet treats censorship as a malfunction and routes around it.”
4. “We are in the middle of the most transforming technological event since the capture of fire.”
5. “I didn’t invent the internet, but I wrote a lot of the songs it sings.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
John Perry Barlow’s highest net worth is estimated to have been around $10 million.
Children
John Perry Barlow had three daughters: Amelia Rose Barlow, Anna Winter Barlow, and Leah Justine Barlow.
Relevant Links
1. [John Perry Barlow’s Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Perry_Barlow
2. [Electronic Frontier Foundation](https://www.eff.org/
3. [Internet Hall of Fame Induction](https://www.internethalloffame.org/inductees/john-perry-barlow
4. [A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace](https://www.eff.org/cyberspace-independence
5. [Freedom of the Press Foundation](https://freedom.press/
