The questioning over state funding of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and open-source initiatives revolves around invisible ideological debates about benefits and drawbacks. Let’s look at this from a few specific examples: #NLnet, #NGI, and the European Union (#EU), to understanding the implications and effectiveness of this funding path. The is some democratization as…
Indymedia based on the #OMN framework?
Understanding the need for rebooting #Indymedia. The #Indymedia network, once a vibrant platform for decentralized grassroots media, succumbed to internal and external tensions. Before rebooting, we should look at the factors that contributed to its decline so we can take a working path to a successful revival that avoids past pitfalls. Reasons for the decline…
Why #AI is more #techshit
The #stupidindividualism of the Silicon Valley’s ideology, around tech-driven libertarianism and as our chattering classes say “hyper-individualism”, is spreading social mess and #techshit, we need shovels to compost. It’s now clear that these anti #mainstreaming ‘solutions’ create more problems than they attempt to solve, particularly in terms of social breakdown and environmental damage. The utopian…
Communication barriers, lead to a lack of awareness
The #fashernista-driven path pushes aside grassroots and #openweb movements due to misalignment agendas. The #fashernists are driven by #mainstreaming agendas that end up co-opt grassroots initiatives, then systematizing them in ways that dilute their “original native” paths, intent and value. This mess leads to #techchurn and a continuous cycle of superficial innovation that does nothing…
Grassroots in Tech Communities: Challenges and Paths
The discussions surrounding grassroots movements within tech communities intersects with broader social themes, such as #neoliberalism and #postmodernism. These ideologies shape what is considered “common sense” and can create real barriers to introducing alternative viewpoints and practices. Within this context, progressive grassroots initiatives aim to counteract these dominant paradigms, but they frequently face challenges both…
The mess of our “common sense” hard shift to the right – Ukraine
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine exacerbates the influence of far-right groups. The Russia narrative highlights the presence of far-right elements in Ukraine to justify its actions. However, this narrative is used politically rather than in any way sincerely addressing the issue. Western support for Ukraine, primarily aimed at countering Russian aggression, overlooks the…
Beyond Consumerism: Building Trust Through Openness and Action
This pervasive influence of ideology and consumerism in modern society, illustrating how even well-intentioned actions can be co-opted by the systems they aim to resist. It emphasizes the need for genuine, systemic change rather than superficial actions that offer a false sense of contribution. The problem we need to mediate is everyday consumer choices are…
Slogan for #openweb: “Technology’s job is to hold the trust in place”
Definitions can be loose; making things overly rigid is a #Geekproblem that fosters conflict.This is why the #4opens is about interpretation and judgment. The #Fediverse is a vibrant and active #openweb project, currently one of the healthiest “native” parts of this path. Some “native” examples we are working on: Principles for #OGB (Open Governance Body)…
A messy job, but with the right tools and approach, we can make progress
The neoliberal world-view is designed to replace trust with greed as the social motivator. Of course, all successful societies are based/built on trust, so neoliberalism is building a #deathcult. The current #climatechaos and social decay are simple to understand outcomes. If you’re wondering why this is useful, it’s an important part of a conversation and…
The Importance of Words and Ideology
Words shape our thoughts, and common understandings of these words are essential for coherent and effective communication. Ideologies form the basis of all thinking, whether unspoken and #mainstreaming or articulated and still minority. The challenge is to transition minority ideologies to the mainstreaming paths. The Plan: Using Common Hashtags and Syndication To achieve this transition,…
The Solution: Embrace the #4opens
We can’t keep repeating the same #TechShit over and over again. #TechCurn is a dead end.The #OMN is the only positive path I know forward. #Mainstreaming #fashernistas are dangerously consumptive. Our alt #fashernistas are utterly pointless. We need to disrupt social norms and make #4opens fashionable to salvage any value from these people and pull…
Definitions, that might help
This is from the view of progressive, grassroots and Alt media in the UK: Silo, definition: Closed data systems hoarding information. Impact: Data vanishes when projects end, diminishing the effectiveness of alternative media. Most alt/grassroots media projects are silos, capturing data without open licensing for reuse. Portal, definition: Attempts to be the dominant site, locking…