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INFOWAR: do we need an nth column!? (3 mails from josepha haveman)
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ARS ELECTRONICA FESTIVAL 98
INFOWAR. information.macht.krieg
Linz, Austria, september 07 - 12
http://www.aec.at/infowar
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I've finally had a chance to read all of Geert Lovink's introduction to the
InfoWar. I was confused by the opening paragraphs, but after that the
statement got better and clearer as to its focus and I was able to recognise
the urgency of the issue.
There is indeed a terrible Blitzkrieg going on by the virtually impenetrable
Panzer brigades of commerce and industry, threatening to ruin what might have
been one of the most successful democratic institutions of the century: the
internet.
That is, it was 'democratic' for those who had access to the 'net, though for
a long time this meant only people -many of whom were hackers, though
certainly not all- whose access was achieved via the academic networks, or
government and large organization hook-ups.
As soon as the internet opened up to 'all' (all those with the wherewithal to
make use of the internet), it was no longer available only to us independents,
but simultaneously to the dragons of commerce.
Today most of the people in my circle have and use personal computers in their
work, education and also in pursuit of their artistic endeavors. All of us
have good computers, fairly fast modems and thus we have access to the 'net
and to the world-wide web.
But... it has also become true that lately most of us have a tremendous
aversion to signing on for anything but retrieving our email! We simply cannot
stand to deal with the interference that is now created by the advertisers,
the incessant cookie messages and the constant manipulation of our own
material by commerce for their own ends.
Getting on the web for doing some research is like volunteering for a
nightmare. I, for one, dread having to use the web and, as a matter of fact,
now do so only once every 2-3 months, only out of dire necessity!
For example, AEC, like most organizations, expects us to get all the
information regarding this year's PrixArs program from its website. Despite
the fact that the needed hardcopy brochure didn't arrive in my California
mailbox until just a few weeks ago (too late for me to prepare a complete and
proper entry), I would not go on the web to check out the information and the
deadlines. As a matter of fact, despite the need to support my own 50pp
website, I truly shun what has become of the www!
Most of my associates feel the same way, rendering this wonderful phenomenon
simply useless!
So, yes indeed, something must be done to improve this marvellous potential
-which represents such a breakthrough for the dissemination of art- so that
we can simply enjoy using it... without having to fight those terrible
dragons!
We could start with a boycott of all products that use push-technology
advertising. (I've done that for many many years with TV advertised products
anyway).
We could devise a "just say "NO!" campaign,'push-back' perhaps.
We could have powerful filters that are both highly focused on our access-
needs and widespread for rejection of interference information.
We could probably create a strictly non-commercial network for individuals
-and perhaps non-profit organizations- only. Or partition the net, like the
original: commercial, educational, government, individuals, etc. with specific
access keys or rules like 'no commercial activities' on certain networks.
This latter concept might work, armed with a push-back method for those who
stray to the wrong net.
This is certainly an issue that needs attention right now.
Thanks for bringing this out in the open and up for examination and
discussion!
Josepha Haveman, Berkeley.
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Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 14:07:08 EDT
From: JosephaH <JosephaH@aol.com>
Subject: how free is free information?
Hi Felipe,
Yes, of course information does not 'want' anything. Only living entities
seem to 'want'.
Perhaps 'Speer' was trying to express something about the free flow of
information, something that presumably marks the "free world" as opposed to
the not so free and which is something we tend to take for granted and regard
as a necessity for all freedom.
Having experienced the opposite, living for 5 years under an oppressive
foreign occupation with no freedoms and where all information was limited to
pure propaganda, I can conclude that even 'freedom' is relative.
Today's freedom of information is also fraught with an overload of pure
propaganda for which there is only one defense:
Question everything!
(I see from your address that you are probably writing from Holland, so you
might know what I am talking about!)
Josepha Haveman
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Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 14:07:02 EDT
From: JosephaH <JosephaH@aol.com>
Subject: absolutes and relativity?
To Speer, RE your "the relativistic worldview would imply that there is no
absolute, there is no reason for anything, that validity comes from any
viewpoint."
Right! There probably is no absolute in the universe. (except in Russia where
I found it expressed by the word "nyet!")
That does not imply that there is "no reason for anything", though that too,
may actually be true as well. Reason and absolute are human concepts. For all
we know, humans are simply an accident of evolution, or perhaps an experiment.
And, yes, above all: Validity does indeed come from viewpoints. What is valid
in one culture may be totally valueless, or invalid in another society.Or even
withing the same society, depending on circumstances.
We ourselves have a value system full of convenient exceptions. Whether itis
valid to kill someone totally depends on point of view: the military are
trained to kill, trained just for that, at enormous expense to the society.
But once out of uniform, killing is no longer a valid response! And again,
someone who kills another for apparently 'valid reasons', might end up getting
a death sentence for doing so!
You figure that out, if you don't think that it is all a matter of
circumstance, i.e. a point of view!
Cultural belief systems are adaptive and have developed throughout the
millenia to suit the circumstances of a given tribe or society.
As Deepak Chopra likes to reminds us frequently: "in the universe, there are
'infinite possibilities'" and we are of that universe!
As for your "Intuition will be the ability to view things relatively ,
something that an intellect cained to information, almost by definition cannot
do. "
Try thinking about it, perhaps broaden your chain of information. The
intellect is perfectly capable of "viewing things relatively", though some
people find it 'counter-intuitive'.
Basically it all depends on the brainwashing of competing belief-systems. An
open mind is capable of marvellous insights, all on its own!
Josepha Haveman
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