An #openweb organic intellectual,technologist and part of the #OMN
Privatization is one of those words that has been thrown around a lot, usually accompanied by promises of efficiency, lower costs, and better services. But the reality is far grimmer, and people generally don’t understand why. What Is Privatization? It is simply when publicly owned industries or services are transferred to private companies. It usually … Continue reading Privatization has been a buzz word for the last 40 years
With each passing day, we’re witnessing the acceleration of the global far-right resurgence, a modern incarnation of #fascism, adapted to our times. This #neofascism wears the mask of democracy, claiming legitimacy through hollow elections, while quietly dismantling political freedoms. It thrives on the wreckage of #neoliberalism and the crises this mess has left and unleashed, … Continue reading The rise of #fascism and the #openweb response
In the swirling chaos of the digital landscape, it’s easy to feel lost. The #Fediverse, should be a beacon of hope for a decentralized, community-driven internet, but as always is facing an onslaught of push back and pressures from every direction. The #dotcons loom large, #NGO agendas quietly co-opt grassroots energy, and the #encryptionists lash … Continue reading Composting the Mess to Make Room to Plant
Let’s face it – activism and counter-culture are packed with “insane” people. And thank the gods for that. It’s what makes movements exciting, dynamic, and, most importantly, effective. But like compost, too much of the wrong stuff makes the pile stink. Balance is everything. So, let’s look at this: what causes a movement to stagnate, … Continue reading The Beautiful Insanity of Activism: How Movements Rot or Blossom
In activism and grassroots media, you inevitably face an ongoing, unpleasant truth: when pushing against #mainstreaming and the inertia of the #deathcult, bad faith comes at you like a storm. Your best, and often only, defence is to hold onto your good faith. But good faith alone isn’t enough, we need shared tools to compost … Continue reading Open Media Network (#OMN) is a Tool for Change and Challenge, Composting the Mess
In the current #openweb reboot, let’s look at what makes sense, and let’s look at this from the prospective of collective dynamics, not individual blame. The focus is on mapping the social landscape, understanding the patterns of dysfunction, and then figuring out how to break through those blockages. The idea of switching between #spiky and … Continue reading “Compost tending” the fabric of #openweb
The new #mainstreaming right-wing crew has become adept at hijacking the language of liberation and twisting it for control. They steal words like “freedom,” “community,” and “resilience,” stripping them of their radical roots and turning them into tools for reactionary agendas. Meanwhile, the left, caught in cycles of internal purity politics and endless critique, fractures … Continue reading Is it possible to compost the mess and nurture the people tangled within it?
In a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, President Donald Trump has reoriented America’s geopolitical path, distancing from Ukraine and seeking rapprochement with Russia. This realignment reflects a broader strategic thinking aimed at countering China’s rising influence on the global stage. Reassessing Ukraine’s strategic value, historically, the United States has supported Ukraine as a bulwark … Continue reading There is a method to Trump’s messy geopolitical madness
In the world shaped by corporate control, liberal co-option, and empty activism, the language we use is a battleground. The unthinking push for #mainstreaming has dulled radical energy, replacing effectiveness with sanitized, #NGO-friendly language that avoids real social change and challenge. To be serious about building an alternative, we need to rethink how we communicate—not … Continue reading Stepping away: #OMN through clear, grounded communication
The tension between control vs. trust in tech and society is a core to defining the success or failure of grassroots, open projects like #OMN and the #fediverse. The problem isn’t just technical, but deeply social: a struggle between hierarchical control (power over) and distributed, democratic trust (power within). But we have the ongoing #geekproblem … Continue reading Are the currently spaces trust is built at scale, or do we need to create them from scratch?
The boater community is in rapid transition, with the pressures from gentrification, corporate control (#CRT), and online group dynamics (#failbook) colliding with a long-established scruffy, self-sufficient, and often chaotic #liveaboard culture. This can be seen in the #failbook London Boaters group which has shifted away from its activist roots into more of a “management” role, … Continue reading The stress of living in the remains of the commons, boaters in the UK
Slow travel, there’s something special about taking the slow route, moving at just 8 km/h, feeling the rhythm of the water beneath you, and experiencing places in a way you never would when rushing from A to B. This is #overlanding, but with a twist, overlanding by water. Instead of highways, we followed ancient trade … Continue reading Overlanding by Water: Crossing Europe at 8km/h on a Refurbished Lifeboat