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The mess we have made in tech

The last 40 years of technological development and its impact on society, coupled with the growing urgency of addressing #climatechange, highlight the need to fundamentally change the way we approach technology. Here are some key points:

  1. Environmental Impact: The rapid growth of technology over the past few decades has come with a significant environmental cost. From the production and disposal of electronic devices to the energy consumption of data centers and digital infrastructure, the tech industry has contributed to greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, and environmental degradation. As we face the reality of #climatechaos, there’s a pressing need to develop and adopt technologies that minimize harm to the planet.
  2. Social Inequality: While technology has the potential to connect people and empower communities, our embrace of the #dotcons has exacerbated social inequalities. Access to digital technologies, information, and opportunities, widening the gap between the privileged and marginalized. Moreover, #dotcons tech platforms have been criticized for perpetuating discrimination, bias, and exclusion, further entrenching systemic injustices. Addressing these issues requires building “native” #openweb technology that prioritizes equity, inclusivity, and social justice.
  3. Corporate Control and Surveillance: The dominance of large tech corporations raised concerns about corporate power. These companies wield immense influence over digital ecosystems, shaping the flow of information, controlling social access to platforms, and monetizing people’s data and metadata. To counteract corporate control and protect the #openweb, there’s a need for decentralized, community-driven alternatives that prioritize people and community.
  4. Innovation and Collaboration: The current paradigm of technological development prioritizes profit-driven innovation over basic social and environmental responsibility. This mindset stifles collaboration, stifles open innovation, and limits the potential for collective problem-solving. To address complex challenges like #climatechange, we need to foster a culture of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and open-source development. By democratizing access to technology and promoting participatory design processes, we can harness the collective intelligence and creativity of diverse communities to drive positive change.
  5. Political and Cultural Shifts: The intersection of technology, politics, and culture shapes societal norms, values, and behaviours. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a growing awareness of the political implications of technology, from concerns about online disinformation and algorithmic bias to debates over platform governance and digital rights. As grassroots movements like Extinction Rebellion (#XR) mobilize to address #climatechange, there’s an opportunity to leverage technology as a tool for social and environmental activism. By challenging mainstream narratives, engaging in grassroots #openweb organizing, and amplifying community based voices, we can harness technology to advance progressive causes and catalyse the needed systemic change and challenge.

In summary, the challenges posed by #climatechaos necessitate a radical reimagining of technology and its role in society. By prioritizing sustainability, equity, collaboration, and activism, we can build a resilient and inclusive #openweb future that serves the needs of people and the planet. This shift requires challenging entrenched power dynamics, confronting corporate interests, and mobilizing collective action to create a more just and sustainable world.

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Historically, mainstream politics has exhibited a tendency to shift towards the right during times of crisis

The intersection of climate change, #mainstreaming politics, and fear is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that influences societal attitudes and policies. Historically, mainstream politics has exhibited a tendency to shift towards the right during times of crisis, and the looming specter of #climatechaos is following this trend. In this context, it is essential to recognize the pivotal role that fear plays in driving right-wing politics and shaping public discourse.

Fear operates as a potent motivator in shaping political attitudes and policies, particularly within the realm of right-wing ideologies. Whether it manifests as apprehension over economic instability, cultural change, or national security threats, fear serves as fertile ground for the proliferation of right-wing narratives. In the context of climatechaos, this fear is further amplified by concerns surrounding environmental degradation, natural disasters, migration, and resource scarcity. Such apprehensions provide a breeding ground for the flourishing of right-wing ideologies, which cynically capitalize on these anxieties to promote their agenda.

However, amidst this landscape of fear, a counterpoint emerges: the waning fear of socialism among the Western bourgeoisie. Traditionally, socialism has been met with suspicion and trepidation by capitalist classes, serving as a perceived threat to the status quo of capitalism. Yet, as socialist ideals gain traction and legitimacy in mainstream discourse, particularly among younger generations, the fear of socialism begins to diminish. This shifting dynamic challenges the hegemony of right-wing politics and offers a glimmer of hope for progressive change.

Indeed, this shift presents an opportunity for hope. By embracing socialist principles and advocating for progressive policies, there is potential to counteract the politics of fear perpetuated by the right. However, this window of opportunity for hope is rapidly narrowing in the face of escalating #climatechaos. The urgency of the climate crisis demands immediate action, and the failure to seize this opportunity through mainstream inaction only serves to exacerbate the cycle of fear and despair.

In essence, the delicate balance between fear and hope profoundly shapes political narratives and responses to climate change. While fear may dominate #mainstreaming politics in the short term, there remains a potential for collective action and progressive change. Initiatives such as the Open Media Network (#OMN), #OGB, #indymediaback, and #makeinghistory exemplify efforts to challenge the status quo and chart a course towards a future grounded in resilience, equity, and sustainability. It is imperative that we capitalize on this potential and confront the climate crisis head-on, fostering a society that prioritizes collective well-being and environmental stewardship.

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The #geekproblem is a part of our collective #deathcult

There is a value miss match that is a core part of the #geekproblem and its relationship to “normal” society .

One side prioritises the tech, the other the social, they then ignore each other. Both suffer and become pointless, or likely die out as a species in the era of #climatechaos.

Build a bridge or be pointless, or more likely dead in the long term.

#OMN #indymediaback #makeinghistory #OGB are bridges.

The recognition and resolution of the value mismatch between technology and society are crucial for addressing pressing global challenges such as #climatechaos. The #geekproblem encapsulates this divide, where one side prioritizes technological development while the other prioritizes social considerations. However, both perspectives are essential for meaningful progress. By building bridges between technology and society, initiatives like #OMN, #indymediaback, and #OGB serve as vital connectors that facilitate collaboration and mutual understanding. These projects recognize that addressing complex issues requires interdisciplinary approaches that integrate technological innovation. By bridging the gap between technology and society, these initiatives pave the way for holistic solutions that can effectively tackle the challenges of our time, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future. Failure to build such bridges risks rendering both perspectives ineffective or irrelevant, potentially leading to dire consequences for humanity in the long term. Therefore, the importance of initiatives like #OMN, #indymediaback, and #OGB cannot be overstated, as they play a crucial role in bridging the gap between technology and society and advancing collective efforts towards a better future.

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The Open Governance Body: Revolutionizing Governance with Grassroots Tech

In our ever-evolving digital world, governance is often left behind, struggling to catch up with the pace of technology and social change. Among the myriad of attempts to tackle this problem, there’s one that stands out for its innovative and participatory approach: the Open Governance Body (#OGB). This grassroots, federated project is more than just another tech experiment; it’s a blueprint for the future of human-scale governance.

The Flawed Systems of Old

Let’s face it—governance, as we know it, is far from perfect. Our current systems are either too unwieldy for large-scale implementation or too limited for local contexts. Traditional Free/Open Source (#FOSS) governance models might be native to the tech world, but they’re entrenched in a medieval hierarchy, reminiscent of kings, nobles, and peasants. Who needs feudalism in the digital age?

#Mainstreaming politics, with its frequent ineffectuality in the face of #climatechaos, also demonstrates that we desperately need something that works—something innovatively rooted yet freely scalable.

Grassroots Activism Meets the Fediverse

Enter the #OGB, a robust fusion of proven federated technology and grassroots governance. It’s the brainchild of a diverse group of independent thinkers who understand that, progressive social change has always sprung from the bottom up. They’ve taken the federated solution framework of #ActivityPub (think decentralized social networks) and meshed it with organic activist governance.

This blend gave birth to a surprisingly simple yet powerful platform based on sortation, where roles and responsibilities are distributed fairly, fostering efficient decision-making.

A Tale of European Success

The potential of #OGB is more than just theoretical talk—it’s been field-tested with promising results. Our band of “libertarian cats” successfully outreached to the European Union, showcasing the versatility of ActivityPub and the #fediverse. Presentations and collaborations with EU bureaucrats catalysed the setup of project outline, a prescient move that looked like wisdom personified post-Twitter’s dramatic downturn.

Market Dynamics—A Hypothetical Utopia

Think of a bustling local street market—a microcosm of society with stallholders, shoppers, and various stakeholders like organizers, trash collectors, and local law enforcement. The #OGB can empower such a community to self-govern in harmony, thereby bypassing cumbersome bureaucracy.

It’s a permissionless rollout—meaning, creating a governance community is as easy as setting up an instance, generating a QR code, and inviting market participants to jump on board with a simple app installation. From there, a sortation algorithm orchestrates the decision-making process, naturally enticing more stakeholders to participate.

From Small Markets to Society at Large

This isn’t just about one market. The beauty of #OGB is its inherent scalability and adaptability. Just as the #fediverse has grown organically over the years, OGB can proliferate from one market to others, weaving a tapestry of self-governance that could very well encompass various societal facets.

“We know the grassroots process of organizing works. We’ve seen the federated model scale times over. Combine them, and we have a DIY governance culture that could revolutionize society.”

A History of Activism, A Future of Change

The Open Governance Body is not just a project; it is the culmination of centuries of activism and social organizing techniques, proven time and again. Combined with the remarkable technological advancements of the fediverse, OGB embodies a modern solution rooted in historical success. It’s a rallying cry for those seeking to instill real, lasting change in the world through cooperative, human-centric means.

The future of governance looks brighter with initiatives like OGB. Unlike the faltering structures of old, this endeavor promises to usher in an era where technology enables democracy and human connection, not control and division. It’s time to embrace the open governance body, roll up our sleeves, and be a part of the grassroots revolution.

Remember, progress doesn’t ask for permission—it is an open invitation to innovate, participate and effectuate change. Join the OGB movement, and let’s co-create a governance model that befits our times and aspirations.

Outreach:

1. Have you heard about #OGB? It’s breaking boundaries in web governance through grassroots activism & federated tech! Get ready to govern your own communities with human-scale solutions that actually work.
2. Exciting news: The federation of #ActivityPub proves we can scale horizontally and spark real change! Combined with grassroots governance, we’re onto a new chapter of progressive social shifts. Let’s build this together!
3. Picture this: A street market governed organically by its community via #OGB. Stallholders, customers, and local services all have a say. Ready to revolutionize the way we collaborate and manage shared spaces?
4. Do you want an active role in shaping your community? With #OGB permissionless roll-outs, anyone can start making impactful decisions. Let’s grow this movement, producers by producer group, instance by instance!
5. Imagine a system where your voice directly influences your surroundings. #OGB is blending hundreds of years of activist governance with the scalable power of the #fediverse. Let’s make self-governance the norm!
6. We’re planting seeds for a #DIY grassroots culture to flourish across society with #OGB. No permission needed, just the desire for change and collaboration. Who’s ready to be part of this empowering journey?
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‘The Arkenstone and the Ring: wilful objects in Tolkien’s The Hobbit’

A series of seminars to commemorate the death of J. R. R. Tolkien, to be held in 2023/2024 in the University of Oxford. The talks present an introduction and further background to Tolkien’s life, work, and legacy. They have an academic approach, but they are also aimed at those who have read Tolkien’s work but are interested in gaining a bit more insight into his life, career, and writings.

Week 1 – 19 January (MERTON COLLEGE T.S. ELIOT LECTURE THEATRE)
Mark Atherton (University of Oxford)
The Arkenstone and the Ring: wilful objects in Tolkien’s The Hobbit’


Draft

Wilful objects in the Tolkien’s work, thinking about embedded AI in ten years, and mobile phone now. This world could become like Tolkien world after the #climatechaos claps in 50 years.

Dwarfs are the geeks, control #geekproblem

Elves are the #fashernistas, appearance, humanists

The humans are the Oxford union, power politics

The hobbits? – the wholly greens

Orcs? –

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Panel discussion: ‘Post-COP28 debrief: Does the agreement go far enough?’

COP28 closed with an agreement, that for the first time in three decades, includes oil and gas. But what does the agreement mean in real terms? And is keeping the global temperature limit of 1.5°C within reach. Join us as our panel of academics share their thoughts after attending COP28 and look forward to what it means for COP29 and the world over the coming years.

Panel:

Professor Myles Allen, Director, Oxford Net Zero
Dr Abrar Chaudhury, Senior Associate, Oxford Net Zero
Professor Benito Müller, Managing Director, Oxford Climate Policy (Chair)
Professor Nicola Ranger, Senior Fellow, Oxford Martin Programme on Net Zero Regulation and Policy
Professor Mette Morsing, Director, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment

This talk is in conjunction with Oxford Net Zero and Oxford Climate Research Network.


God these people are #deathcult worshipping at the Martin school Oxford event, the room is full of the green great and good, I wonder how meany are not worshipping?

“Sack all the panel and then evict the building occupations” comes to mind as a path/spark out of this mess, likely more chance of working than these people staying as the gatekeepers to the change that is needed.

This thinking is reinforced during the businessmen presentation. Nothing on the subject, he is vile. Academic finance is next, all the speakers start nice and move onto there pointless subject then end vile, this is the nature of #mainstreaming people in the room.

In the era of #climatechaos they are insane, most Tories, some blinded liberals, it’s the Oxford mess, ideas please?

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Who is the change and challenge we need?

In the era of #climatechaos of the last 40 years #mainstreaming  we have had a choice of the nice or nasty #deathcult most people in fear have chosen the nasty, we are going to pay the price for this choice over the next 20 years, With millions of deaths and billions 9f people displaced.

This mess we have made has narrowed our daly worship to actually the #deathcult or nasty “progressive” secrets worshippers.

In the grassroots we need to compost this mess is a shovel for this in tech, #XR a easy pail path in society. You are the only people who can or will do this.

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Official launch of the special issue on “Change in Armed Conflict”


Join the Minerva Global Security Programme for the official launch of the special issue on “Change in Armed Conflict,” as featured in the International Political Science Review.This publication establishes a new agenda in the examination of change in armed conflict. It approaches the theme as a dynamic social phenomenon, employing a shared conceptual framework that encompasses five dimensions of change. Serving as a ‘lingua franca,’ this framework unites diverse approaches and perspectives, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the subject.

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Very Oxford, the event is about the terms academics use to study war and conflicts, it’s about words and categories about violence. How the skinny non-violent crew talk about the muscular dangerous crew.

Words and categories of the vile are cleaned and abstracted, spoken in a building that is likely a temple of the #deathcult. A place of worship, the pouring of funding and bright young things down the drain in the face of rushing displacement, starvation and death of #climatechaos

The must be some value here, but it’s not visible in the talk or images. Even shit has value in composting, am here with a shovel. Through from the talk so far there is only academic constipation, so nothing to shovel.

OK we have one presentation a tool for mapping conflict over time, a bit interesting.

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Best not to go down this path

I have been in Oxford for the last month, attending university talks and seminars on subjects of interest. And I am seeing the normal issues of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannerism this is an “art” way of expressing the issue but it’s a good description of much inward looking thinking. Their answers when questioned on this are https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Panglossianism#English in that, It’s not as bad as you think, “am more positive” etc.

This is an issue with the current #geekproblem and much #mainstreaming thinking in the era of #climatechaos

The mess we are likely to make over the next ten years. Best not to go down this path.

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Trustworthiness as Reputation in International Cooperation-building

Intuitively, reputation matters in daily life. Thus, it is unsurprising that scholars and statesmen have long held that reputation must also matter in international relations (IR) since Pericles. Yet, while reputation, especially reputation for resolve in (international) conflict, has enjoyed renewed attention in the past decade or so, few in-depth studies of reputation in (international) cooperation exist, other than a few studies on reputation in alliance and treaty compliance. Professor Shiping Tang takes a first step toward a preliminary theory of reputation in cooperation-building and provides some preliminary evidence that reputation in international cooperation can form and have effect, drawing from a diverse literature, including reputation in conflict and cooperation, trust and trustworthiness in sociology and social theory, and trust and cooperation in international relations and other areas. Professor Tang’s contributions are three-fold: conceptual, theoretical and empirical. He then connects with trustworthiness as reputation with US-China relations.

Our western societies have been building from neo-liberalism, greed, fear and control for the last 40 years. How is it now possible to move back to “trust” in the west.

This is now an urgent question with the onrushing mess of #climatechaos

In Oxford you have the move from trust to control in the card readers on all the doors over the last 20 years.