Tag: Makinghistory

A positive view of Postmodernism in tech

In the postmodernist mess of the last 40 years, this is a balanced positive from the negative view. In the context of projects of the #OMN (Open Media Network), #OGB (Open Governance Body), #indymediaback, and #makinghistory.

Postmodernism/modernism influences the approach to media, governance, and historical narratives:

  1. Distributed and Decentralized Media: Postmodernism challenges the idea of centralized control over media and information. Projects like #OMN and #indymediaback embrace a decentralized model where content creation and distribution are open to communertys, rather than controlled by a select few. This approach reflects postmodern skepticism towards grand narratives and authority, allowing for diverse voices and perspectives to be heard.
  2. Open Governance: Postmodernism’s emphasis on skepticism towards authority and power structures informs the approach to governance in projects like #OGB. Instead of traditional hierarchical structures, open governance bodies work for transparency, inclusivity, and participatory decision-making processes. This reflects a postmodern rejection of centralized authority in favour of distributed forms of power.
  3. Alternative Historical Narratives: Postmodernism challenges dominant historical narratives and encourages the exploration of alternative perspectives and counter-histories. Projects like #makinghistory aim to democratize the production of historical knowledge by allowing communities to share their own stories and experiences. This approach recognizes the subjective nature of historical interpretation and emphasizes the importance of diverse voices in shaping our understanding of the past.
  4. Emphasis on Multiplicity and Pluralism: Postmodernism rejects the idea of a single, objective truth in favour of multiplicity and plurality of perspectives. Projects like #OMN, #OGB, #indymediaback, and #makinghistory embrace this diversity by providing platforms for a wide range of voices and viewpoints. Rather than privileging one perspective over others, these projects aim to foster dialogue and exchange between different communities and individuals.

Overall, postmodernism shapes the philosophy and approach of these projects by challenging traditional notions of authority, truth, and history. By embracing decentralization, openness, and plurality, the projects seek to empower communities, promote inclusivity, and challenge dominant narratives in media, governance, and historical discourse.

The negative history of this movement and its role in the current #deathcult

The negative aspects of postmodernism, particularly when intertwined with #neoliberalism, have had detrimental effects on society, including influencing projects like #OMN, #OGB, #indymediaback, and #makinghistory:

  1. Fragmentation and Atomization: Postmodernism’s emphasis on deconstruction and skepticism towards grand narratives has contributed to the fragmentation of society. Instead of fostering solidarity and collective action, it has led to atomization, where individuals prioritize their own experiences and perspectives over communal goals. In projects like #OMN and #OGB, this fragmentation can hinder effective collaboration and decision-making, as individuals prioritize their personal interests over the common good.
  2. Relativism and Truth Decay: Postmodernism’s rejection of objective truth has paved the way for widespread relativism, where all beliefs and perspectives are considered equally valid. While diversity of thought is important, this extreme relativism leads to a breakdown in shared understanding and consensus. In the context of #indymediaback and #makinghistory, this can result in the proliferation of competing narratives and a lack of accountability for factual accuracy, undermining efforts to construct a progressive cohesive historical record or media landscape.
  3. Crisis of Authority and Expertise: Postmodernism’s skepticism towards authority and expertise erodeds trust in social institutions and grassroots experts, leading to a crisis of legitimacy. In the absence of trusted sources of information, conspiracy theories, misinformation, and disinformation thrive, further contributing to societal polarization and distrust. In projects like #OMN and #indymediaback, this crisis of authority can undermine efforts to establish credible media platforms or governance structures, as participants may question the legitimacy of leadership or expertise.
  4. Commodification of Identity: Postmodernism’s focus on individual identity and difference has been co-opted by neoliberal capitalism to commodify identity and diversity. In this neoliberal/postmodern paradigm, diversity and inclusivity are reduced to marketable commodities, used to sell products and services rather than challenge systemic inequalities. In projects like #OGB and #makinghistory, this commodification of identity can undermine efforts to address structural oppression and promote genuine social justice, as diversity and inclusivity become mere branding (lifestyle) exercises rather than catalysts for systemic change.

Overall, the negative aspects of postmodernism, exacerbated by its alignment with neoliberal ideology, have contributed to social/economic disintegration, truth decay, erosion of trust, and the commodification of identity. In the context of projects like #OMN, #OGB, #indymediaback, and #makinghistory, these dynamics hinder efforts to foster any genuine collaboration, construct meaningful historical narratives, and promote social justice. Recognizing and addressing these negative influences is crucial for building a working #openweb

We need to bridge the balance between these stresses, “don’t be a prat” is a start to this path.

Digital waste – shouting into the void

Interesting links on “digital” waste https://gerrymcgovern.com/world-wide-waste/
https://volume.lboro.ac.uk/digital-waste-polluting-the-planet/
https://theconversation.com/dark-data-is-killing-the-planet-we-need-digital-decarbonisation-190423
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/15/power-grab-hidden-costs-of-ireland-datacentre-boom
https://digitaldecarb.org/

This is true. With the #OMN we are building tools for use, not for distraction, shouting into the void is not the project. Community, talking to community, is the core mission. The “personal” is not a part of our core project.

This is alien to #mainstreaming common sense in social tech. Politics as human not as other, we need the tools and the use to build the everyday of our lives #DIY

How to actually communicate this to the #mainstreaming is the challenge that is  very hard to bridge. This is actually impossible, so agen our plan is to build it and communicate by doing, not by just talking.

We are looking for a crew to build and do,” talking” is the tool to create this crew #DIY it’s not the tool itself for change and challenge.

#OMN #4opens #OGB #makinghistory are shovels (tools) for social use.

User Story #makeinghistory

The “User Story #makeinghistory” outlines a process for digitizing the #Campbell Family archive, which contains significant historical materials related to activism and political movements. The steps involved:

  • Setting up the Application: The archive sets up a desktop computer or a hosted VPS instance to install the #DAT/ActivityPub based#p2p application for “makeinghistory.”
  • Uploading Digital Files: They use the application to create an account and start scanning and uploading directories of digital files from the archive, adding basic metadata if possible.
  • Building a Community: The archive builds a community of users, including family members and wider activist groups, to seed an affinity group and encourage them to install the application on their devices.
  • Column Structure: Users see columns like “new” and “recent” along with others added by people working on the same accounts. These columns contain flows of boolean logic lists of the data in the shared account.
  • Data Interaction: Users can interact with the data, adding metadata, information, and editing hashtags. They can swipe through items and modify data as needed.
  • Categorization: By editing hashtags and data, items move into category columns and into the recent columns, thus shift to different groups and users.
  • Engagement: Users actively participate in categorizing content instead of passive scrolling. As others add metadata, it updates the feeds of other users, encouraging them to return and contribute.
  • Story Feature: Archived categorized metadata-enriched data flows are turned into cohesive narratives using the story feature, providing overviews and linking multiple items and categories.
  • Sharing History: The created histories can be shared with the wider world, providing grassroots quality history in addition to more traditional top-down narratives.
  • Impact: People use these stories to inspire real and lasting social change, recognizing the importance of history in driving progressive paths.

The “User Story – Resistance Exhibition” extends this concept to an exhibition setting, where visitors can participate in archiving and storytelling using an app installed at the exhibition. This creates a participatory space where people engage with historical materials and contribute to ongoing #4opens projects. All data collected is public CC and available for use in other projects, emphasizing openness and collaboration.

 

SECOND draft

User Story: #MakingHistory – Digital Family Archive & Activist Memory-Building

Goal: Digitize and share activist / family archives primary sources, stories, documents in a way that’s open, participatory, and rooted in real community, not just relic preservation. The archive becomes both memory and tool for social change.

Steps & flows

Setup infrastructure – Spin up a small hosted VPS or desktop instance. Install a #DAT / ActivityPub / peer-to-peer hybrid archive app (#makinghistory).

Upload & seed – Scan family / activist archival material: photos, videos, letters, flyers. Add basic metadata (date, place, people involved). Upload into the system.

Community building – Invite family, networks, activist groups to install the app. Form an affinity group around the archive.

Columns & filtering – Interface: columns like New, Recent, plus user-added ones (by theme / era / type). Users see flows of items (boolean filters, hashtag categories) they care about. Interaction & tagging – Users contribute: add metadata, tags, stories behind objects.

Swipe, browse, edit. Items shift columns/categories as metadata evolves.

Story feature / Narrative building – With categorized & metadata-tagged material, users can assemble “stories”, narrative essays, timelines, thematic presentations.

Sharing & impact – Publish these histories publicly: open & CC-licensed. These become grassroots counterhistories. Use stories to inspire activism, education, or community organizing – showing how history roots current struggles.

Exhibition mode (Extension) – In physical exhibitions, visitors can use the app (on tablets or provided devices) to browse and contribute live: tagging, adding memories, shaping the narrative in situ.

Why it matters, it opens up history: Moves memory out of centralized institutions (archives, museums) into the hands of communities who lived it.

Counter-narrative: Offers history from below, not only top-down or official versions.

Living archive: It’s participatory, not passive. People don’t just view; they shape meaning.

Grounded in #4opens: Open data, open process, open source, open access.

Potential challenges & what to compost (Lessons from past failures) What has gone wrong before, how we compost it in this story:

Burnout among core volunteers, people overload metadata tasks, get exhausted; later momentum fades. Spread workload through community; avoid “metadatabase queen/king” roles. Use columns & tagging that feel playful and meaningful, not tedious.

Power consolidation, with one person / small team becomes the de facto gatekeeper of what’s seen / what counts. Use shared governance: decisions about themes, display, moderation are open. Rotate roles. Use open process.

Tech falling out of maintenance with custom tools built, then abandoned. Use stable, simple tools with community-supported code. Make sure data formats are portable.

Exclusion in “participation” Some voices get left out, marginalized, younger, remote. Proactively invite diverse participants; ensure the interface / metadata vocab doesn’t force people to use jargon; make offline or low-bandwidth modes possible.

Funding Proposal: Archiving the “Commons” with #MakingHistory and #OMN

Funding Proposal: Archiving the “Commons” with #MakingHistory and #OMN

Project Overview:
The #MakingHistory project, from the Open Media Network (#OMN), is a project to create a decentralized and community-driven archive of the “commons” – a collection of grassroots, activist, and historical material shared across a wide network of people and community groups and organisations. By leveraging the existing infrastructure and principles of the OMN, the project democratizes access to information and empowers people and communities to curate and preserve their shared heritage.

Key Objectives:

* Archiving Nodes: Establishing archiving nodes within the OMN network to enable people and communities to selectively archive hashtags and content of interest, providing a decentralized and distributed approach to content preservation.

* Lossy View: Implementing a “lossy” view feature that allows people to visualize what content is backed up across the network, enabling informed decisions on archiving priorities and focus areas.

* Collaboration with Institutions: Collaborating with institutions such as libraries, archive.org, universities, and other traditional archival entities to ensure structured backup and preservation of archived content in more formalized settings.

Project Implementation:
The implementation of the #MakingHistory project involves several key steps:

* Node Setup: Establishing archiving nodes, equipped with specialized templates for archiving and preserving content. These nodes allow people to contribute to the archive by selectively archiving hashtags and relevant content.

* Lossy View Feature: Developing a lossy view feature that provides users with insights into what content is backed up across the network. This feature will enable people to make informed decisions about their archiving efforts and prioritize content preservation based on community needs and interests.

* Collaborative Partnerships: Building partnerships with traditional archival institutions to ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of archived content. These partnerships will involve sharing archived material and collaborating on preservation initiatives to ensure the sustainability of the archive.

Funding Needs:
To realize the objectives of the #MakingHistory project, funding support is required for:

* Technical Development: Hiring skilled developers to build and maintain the archiving code for nodes, lossy view feature, and other technical aspects of the project.

* Community Engagement: Conducting outreach and engagement efforts to onboard people and communities to the archiving nodes, as well as raising awareness about the project and its goals.

* Collaborative Partnerships: Establishing and maintaining partnerships with traditional archival institutions, including coordination efforts and resource sharing for long-term preservation.

Impact: By supporting the #MakingHistory project, funders will contribute to the creation of a decentralized and community-driven archive of grassroots, activist, and historical material, preserving the collective heritage of diverse communities. The project aim is to democratize access to information, empower people and communities to curate and preserve their shared history, and foster collaboration between grassroots initiatives and traditional archival institutions.

Conclusion: The #MakingHistory project represents a pivotal opportunity to democratize archiving and empower communities to preserve their shared heritage in a decentralized and collaborative manner. With your support, we can realize this vision and build a resilient and inclusive archive that celebrates the diversity and richness of our collective history. Thank you for considering our funding proposal.

Archiveing the “commons” the #makeinghistorys project.

The #OMN are building this into the archiving nodes (see the #makinghistory project https://unite.openworlds.info/Open-Media-Network/MakingHistory) you can then choose to archive hashtags, and you can get a “lossy” view of what is backed up across the network you can see, so you can choose what to focus on your archiving then we rely on “institutions like liberys, arcive.org, university’s etc to back this up in more structured ways. We just do the messy part, 🙂 so agen is a balance with no right path.

Messy is like good enough for most people, and good to have traditional institutions as a backup to this backup. Remember, all our data is #4opens so nothing is private. Privacy is done #p2p decrypted else’s where the best we offer is sudo anonymity through tor.

You can get a “lossy” view of what is backed up across the network you can see, so you can choose what to focus on your archiving. An archiving node is simply a normal node with a different template #KISS simplicity is where the value is.

This is central to the #OMN as it builds meany subject hubs, as you can’t scale storing everything. So a federated natural outcome, anyone can run one. When your database gets too full, you look at your “lossy/local network view of what is backed up and start throwing stuff away. If you are nice you though away stuff that has wide distribution of backup, if you are nasty to throw away stuff only you have.

The Witches Cauldron: Making History

The Witches Cauldron: #MakingHistory is an open activist archive project that aims to create a data commons based on the #4opens framework and motivated by the PGA hallmarks. The project is about creating a metadata-enriched digital collection of items hosted on a redundant and federated network of hosts and servers around the world, starting with hosting the majority of the added content on the Internet Archive (archive.org). The project is open to anyone who wants to be a part of the federated network and will be built using the tools of the Open Media Network (OMN) and the KISS principle to facilitate DIY working. The project emphasizes on the importance of simplicity and human scale, and reject solutions that move away from the core KISS and DIY ethos. The Resistance Exhibition is the UK flow of data for this project, and the outcome of the project is to create an open collection of original material from across European countries as a first step, uploaded and stored in an open distributed repository.

Next step in the #OMN

The majority of #mainstreaming #openweb tech projects have the assumption that human nature is a fixed thing and that every project has to be built in reaction to the 40 years of neo-liberal #deathcult that we all live in now as this is the “only” human nature visible. They completely miss/ignorer the social nature of people in groups in this look back at the 20th century, and we have clearly different views of human nature as examples to build society. Call it social democracy, call it communism, call it what you like. We DO NOT have to build tools in relation to the #deathcult, and we clearly should not base “hope” on tools that are built in this relation.

Mastodon, activertypub and the fedivers took a small #stepaway from this mess. The #OMN takes the next step away. For the rest #compost and #shovels come to mind.

The #OMN is a simple #KISS social tech project.

All these projects work off the same core code/workflow of tagging and editing metadata.

#Indymediaback is the news part of the project. This is to grow journalism from the grassroots and to make our news mainstream.

#Makinghistory – is the archiving project. This is to preserve and grow our history from the grassroots and make our history mainstream.

#Friendsandfamily – is the social networking project. For family/affernerty groups to move away from the mainstream #dotcons and to nourish the grassroots.

All the projects are #4opens and federated.