Open social media is native to the #openweb it represents liberation, while closed social media is centred around control for profit. The balance between these two forms is nuanced, and understanding the implications and paths of each requires consideration. It is not “common sense” so you need to think outside your current limited view please…
Security and trust are a part of the fluffy/spiky debate in activism
As dissent and protest are increasingly criminalized, it’s important for protesters and activists to protect themselves – to the degree possible – from surveillance. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (#EFF) offers a guide for surveillance defence. It’s useful to read this even if you aren’t a protester, because the right wing (and sadly, some of the…
The Battle for the Internet: Open vs. Closed
Since its creation, the internet and World Wide Web have been shaped by two competing and overlapping paths: The #OpenWeb Rooted in the DNA of internet code and culture, we see the web as a platform for collaboration, sharing, and the free exchange of information. Built for use in a world where information is abundant…
#mainstreaming counter-cultures
The #mainstreaming of counter-cultures, like #openweb, #Fediverse, and #Mastodon, touch on issues in openweb culture and community sustainability. It should come as no surprise that we need action and community to hold together the culture, values and integrity of openweb digital spaces. Normalization and Dilution of Values: As counter-cultures like the openweb and Fediverse gain…
Toxic Positivity
Toxic Positivity in #mainstreaming, in the context of career and life choices, is about following “common sense” established paths deemed acceptable or successful by societal norms. Where an anti-corporate stance emerges from the frustration with rigid corporate structures and the hollow promises of career advancement through sheer dedication and hard work. That traditional jobs prioritize…
Utopia
in the current mess of #mainstreaming, #Utopia is a dirty word. #Dystopia is not. The story that imagines a future of continual decline feels more reasonable, even inevitable. It’s easy and kinda enjoyable to picture #postapocalyptic paths, given the current state of the world. With the growth of our #deathcult worshipping, the end of history…
Why We Can’t Enjoy life
There is a #mainstreaming story that progressives are incapable of enjoying anything and are easily offended, wildly over-analytical, snobby, pretentious, and injecting politics into everything. There is some truth to this, many left-leaning people would admit, reluctantly, that we can be pretty crap and insufferable at times. But it’s important to see the difference between…
We worshipped a #deathcult for 40 years
Our shared #mainstreaming for the last 40 years has been built on the path of #neoliberalism a political and economic ideology that advocates for minimal state intervention in the economy, emphasizing free markets, deregulation, privatization, and a reduction in government spending on social programs. It emerged as a dominant force in the late 20th century,…
We need pathways to sustainable, equitable and just societies
The idea of mixing capitalism and socialism in a “fluffy” path is proposed as a solution to the shortcomings of both systems. This notion is especially popular among well-meaning liberals who point to European social democracies as examples of successful mixed economies. However, any deeper examination reveals contradictions and challenges inherent in attempting to merge…
A radical view of the Palestine
The conflict between Israel and Palestine is messy and complex. Let’s look at this from a radical perspective, where it is seen as a struggle against settler colonialism, ethnic cleansing, with ongoing systemic injustice. The Radical View of the Palestine Story Key Points of Advocacy Conclusion The radical view of the Palestine story emphasizes the…
Why We Need the Open Media Network (#OMN)
The Challenge of Mainstream Media #Mainstreaming media is dominated by establishment interests that have perfected the art of propaganda. This media landscape is highly effective at brainwashing the public, making it difficult to foster a social and political change and challenge. Without altering this media ecology, progressive movements stand little chance against the overwhelming influence…
Why Mainstreaming Politics is Crap
Today’s left-wing politics, represented by figures like Biden, Stammer and Macron, has devolved into a form of centrism that tries to balance market interests with bureaucratic oversight. This blend results in policies that are neither here nor there, failing to inspire or facilitate any genuine change or challenge. The only real appeal of this kind…