[liberationtech] Liberation: Is not Innovations in digital government

Tue Nov 10 21:11:23 CET 2020

Hello,

Just to be clear here, I speak only for my track. Not the whole conference.

I disagree that "governance" and "liberatory ideas" are necessarily
mutually exclusive, as I disagree that "governance" and "anarchism" are
mutually exclusive. Perhaps this is a difference in terminology between us
- I am using the term ‘governance’ here to signify the spectrum of
relations that includes anarchism. After all, all forms of relation suppose
political forces, and these might emerge naturally or organically, even if
they are not explicitly decided by a collective (as they would be in a
democracy). Indeed, the nature of ‘anarchic’ power relations have been the
postulates of many classical thinkers about the human condition under
‘states of nature’, from Hobbes and to Locke, yes, but also from Proudhon
to Bakunin.

I certainly understand the frustration with the work of political science
in tech. However, a lot is left to be said about how innovations in
government “keep building further structures of enslavement”, as Gramps
wrote. What is the nature of this enslavement? How is it operationalized as
a system? Is there any system of governance (including anarchism) that does
not entail enslavement of some form? If so, which? If not, are we left to
choose between the forms of enslavement to which we will be subject? How do
we balance these with the positive externalities of “public choices”, to
use David’s term, (yes, I assure you, there are some)? These are complex
and nuanced issues. They are not only theoretical questions; they are
practical questions, the answers to which determine the modes, experiences,
and outcomes of our everyday existence.

I would be more hesitant than you are to classify our track as “yet another
boring and wrong conference”. Certainly, it might end up being that way
(this is a feature of conferences more generally). Yet it depends more on
the types of contributions that we attract than my own intentions. Despite
the accusation of being “guilty” – which we all are, to one extent or
another - my throat is parched by the desire for truly inquisitive ideas
about our modes of cohabitation and governance, and what these mean for our
values, freedom, and self-actualization.

As such, I once again cordially invite all those interested in formulating
a fundamental and critical scientific paper on technology and governance to
submit to our track, under the hope that, as Lee wrote, one might “Think
outside the box and good things can be allowed to happen”. Writing academic
conference papers are not everyone’s idea of fun, but if it is your thing,
have a go at it with me.

(and thanks for having me on the list)

Zach

On Tue, 10 Nov 2020 at 13:10, Lee Alley <lee at morganalley.com> wrote:

> I think you misunderstand the nature of anarchy that may be being posited.
> The absence of government does not preclude, or necessitate the presence of
> violence or danger. Indeed some of the oldest participatory communities in
> the world (certain Swiss cantons) and some of the newest (eg. Somaliland)
> incorporate decentralised models of participatory shared responsibilities
> and contract-based services - sweep/pave/protect the streets and you get
> paid n-amount of [monetary value], and if they fail, or are
> disintermediated by competitors and/or societal changes, then they are
> replaced or fired*. No one thinks twice about this with their tech; yet
> somehow civic particpation is seen as precious requiring an
> immutable/eternal power structure.
>
> Think outside the box and good things can be allowed to happen.
>
> Greets to all,
> Lee
>
> * Sometimes known as "anarcho-capitalism"
>
>
> On 10/11/2020 06:18, davidicus wrote:
>
> Dear Gramps,
>
> That the American public has reached a stage of (de)evolution to the point
> where some folks see "guns" somehow as "liberatory" and not see that their
> society (and government) has amassed the largest military in history aided
> and abetted by the armaments and security complexes (including said gun
> manufacturers), once again illustrates the contradictions of
> (communicative) capitalism.
>
> "Muskets vs. Military Style Assault Rifles" or "Guns vs. Butter" are
> questions of and about governance, governmentality, public policy and yes,
> too, at times "market failure" (whether on questions of Pandemic, Climate
> Change or Digital Divides). Such are the myriad ways in which public
> choices are also about governance, governmentality and the demos.  To
> suggest that anarchy is only about non-governance strikes me as a type of
> magical thinking particularly in a global system of nation-states, firms,
> communities that have elected or appointed governmentalities and modes /
> models of governance.  A co-operative, credit union, school board or
> voluntary fire fighters team all have employed modes of governance, just as
> larger geographic entities have.  All can potentially be corrupt or
> corrupted, but to somehow imagine that the baby should be thrown out in the
> name of 'anarchy' seems to be a problematic reading from the political
> right or libertarian techies.
>
> Kind Regards,
> ~david
> ------------------------------
> *David Sadoway * PhD  MRM  BES(Hons)
> Faculty & Instructor. *Geography & The Environment. *
> Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
> https://www.kpu.ca/arts/geography/faculty/david-sadoway
> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David_Sadoway
> *KPU is located on the *
> *unceded lands & waters of the Kwantlen, Katzie, Musqueum, Tsawwassen,
> Semihamoo, Qayqayt, Sto:Lo and Kwikwetlen Peoples.  *
>
>
> On Mon, 9 Nov 2020 at 21:32, grarpamp <grarpamp at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> > http://dgsociety.org/dgo-2021/call-for-proposals/
>>
>> > liberatory ideas
>> > government (or governance)
>>
>> These are mutually exclusive.
>>
>> > governance
>> > anarchic
>>
>> These are mututally exclusive.
>>
>> > Digital Government Research
>> > innovations in digital politics and government
>>
>> Permanent lifelong intergenerational databases
>> of all lives, transactions, words, thoughts, love,
>> DNA, surveillance, spying, lightswitch digital control
>> of the "misinformation" that is your mind and body,
>> censorship, rampant media bias, forced lockdown and
>> inoculation, license logon and permission required
>> for all daily activities including authenticating to
>> your toilet bowl for the morning piss, checkpointed
>> biometric embedded body tags, papers please travel,
>> encryption bans, firearm bans, 6G reporting in realtime,
>> facial gait voice analysis, web bugs, NSA, GovCorp in
>> everything you do, and much much more you despots
>> have yet to dream up, beyond all above which you've
>> already implemented.
>>
>> > models of governance
>>
>> All such in all symposiums on same on this so called "liberation"
>> list in recent years have all been, disgustingly, about how to keep
>> building further structures of enslavement over other harmless humans
>> who've done nothing to you, through forcing yourself and your will over
>> them, ultimately under threat of death. You are guilty.
>>
>>
>> So for remainder of this month, instead of titillating yourselves
>> over yet another such boring and wrong conference...
>> go search, read, and watch...
>>
>> Voluntaryism, Libertarian, peace love and Anarchism,
>> Taxation is Theft, War is Murder, Austrian Economics / Free Markets,
>> Bitcoin documentaries, Anarcho Capitalism, Non Aggression Principle,
>> Natural Law, etc... and yes, even...
>> > crypto-anarchism
>>
>> Anything but yet more forcing yourself over others via non
>> "liberatory ideas" scam of "democracy" and digital govern[ment|nance].
>>
>> Then come back and talk about what actions of ungovernance
>> need done towards reaching living in an actual state of liberation.
>>
>> Because what's being talked 100:1 on this list has
>> absolutely not been actual liberation, nor even tech,
>> but more politically entrenched systems of GovCorp
>> power and control.
>>
>> That's very bad.
>> For you.
>> And your children.
>> And you know it.
>>
>> --
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>
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