10:30 am-11:30 am: Alex Colas (Birkbeck): Marx, Capitalism and Maritime Temporalities 11:30 am-12:30 pm: Gareth Dale (Brunel): Marx, Growth Ideology, and Degrowth 12:30-14:00: lunch break 14:00-15:00: Nick Stevenson (Nottingham): Democratic Socialism, Degrowth and the Commons: Raymond Williams, Marxism, and the Anthropocene 15:00-16:00: Martin Crook (UWE Bristol): Marx and the Ecocide – Genocide Nexus 16:00-16:30: coffee…
Why people should worry about NGO paths
The problem with #NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) and the wider (vertical adjacent) thinking they represent. In part, the issue is about how the organizations operate and adapt to pressures, particularly regarding funding. Overall, this dynamic results in a situation where NGOs, initially formed to challenge the status quo and advocate for change, become co-opted by the…
Understanding #OMN and the #GeekProblem
Using the #OMN hashtag story to address the challenges and opportunities in the tech world, particularly in mediating the #geekproblem, involves leveraging the power of storytelling, community engagement, and strategic advocacy. In the #geekproblem, there are two distinct paths. One path leads to the geeks who won’t code for changing human nature; they are consumed…
Addressing climatechaos requires a radical approach
The climate crisis and its broader implications: Understanding the Crisis Soft Problem: Infrastructure Response To address the primary effects of climate change, we need to: Hard Problem: State Stability and Security Addressing the secondary effects involves: Accountability and Legal Action Prosecuting individuals or groups for their direct roles in the climate crisis involves several considerations:…
I am working on our families archive
Banners, Useful and Beautiful. From their base in West Wales, activists, artists and lecturers Thalia and lan Campbell not only make banners for a wide range of organisations, but also run workshops where they help people to make their own banners. The Campbells have been making banners since 1978 and helped to promote the revival…
The Supremacy of Capital: A Fundamental Challenge in the Era of #ClimateChaos
In today’s world, the supremacy of capital stands as a pillar holding up our societies and institutions. This assertion, though seemingly simple, carries implications for our understanding of power dynamics, economic structures, and the urgent need for change in the face of #climatecrisis. This encapsulates a recognition that economic interests, particularly those of capitalists and…
OMN – improving the tech landscape
A “native” path to composting the tech mess lies in understanding and addressing the underlying issues. A breakdown of a social tech path: By delving into these #OMN resources and frameworks, you gain a deeper understanding of the issues and discover pathways toward solutions. Collaborating with others who share goals and values amplifies the impact…
People in activism
In the coming era of #climatechaos the problem of #mainstreaming thinking and people will become a MUCH bigger issue that we need to mediate. The “common sense” they often bring is the #deathcult a strong problem we do need to do something with, the #NGO crew and “activists” who worship this cult. There is also…
The mess we keep making of #FOSS governance
It’s disheartening to see a community platform like #Trustroots https://trustroots.org facing challenges with governance, with issues and tensions among its contributors https://github.com/trustroots-community/trustrots/issues?q= and here https://trustroots.community/ This situation is messy and underscores the importance of establishing healthy governance practices within community-driven projects to ensure their long-term sustainability and effectiveness. The case of Trustroots alongside the earlier…
A conversation that circles
Too often I find my self in conversations that revolve around the intersection of technology and social issues, with one side emphasizing the importance of practical solutions to real-world problems, while the other highlights the underlying social dynamics that shape technological landscapes these “solutions” are often supposed to be addressing. The first prioritize pragmatic immediate…
Reminder about the hashtag family
A breakdown of the #OMN hashtags and how they are typically used: And on the positive side: Each of these hashtags serves as a shorthand for broader discussions and concepts, allowing people to participate in and contribute to conversations around these topics on the #openweb and inside the #dotcons it’s about linking. #KISS
Should we ban TikTok
The #dotcons are about ideological control (advertising) of information for profit, #TikTok is likely one of the most advanced on this path. Whether to ban TikTok is part of the #mainstreaming mess and significant within the wider context of the move back to the #openweb Some considerations: In conclusion, whether to ban TikTok involves weighing…