What is “mess” in the hashtag story?

In this 20 year hashtag story, it’s important to understand chaos as a creative force for change. But it’s also important to see that the path of the #openweb and the ongoing struggle for a more decentralized, human-centered internet, makes this idea of “mess” into meany “bad faith” arguments. For #mainstreaming, people to often hear, images of disorder, confusion, and breakdown, things we are taught to avoid in our neatly structured lives. Yet, from the “native” perspective, mess is not only a negative state to be avoided; it is an essential part of the process of growth, creativity, and radical change to challenge the current mess making, it’s a messy process we need to live through, this is positive as to avoid this mess would be negative.

The mess is not just a state of disarray but also fertile ground for thinking, growth, and alt pathways to emerge. In a world dominated by the #dotcons and their “clean”, control-driven algorithms, we need to reclaim the value of messiness as a useful path to walk. When we talk about “mess,” we’re referring to the tangled, often uncomfortable realities of grassroots organizing, alternative tech development, and the daily work of trying to “natively” build something in the ruins of the old. It’s the disorganized, contentious, and chaotic space where ideas clash, projects falter, and consensus is hard to come by. This mess is unavoidable and, importantly, it is productive.

Mess is where real conversations happen, where people get angry, feel frustrated, make mistakes, and crucially, learn from those mistakes. It’s where things break, and we figure out how to fix them, or better yet, build something that doesn’t have the same flaws. In this, mess is not a symptom of failure but a part of the creative process.

The problem with “clean” solutions pushed by centralized #dotcons like Facebook, Twitter, and Google, is the relentless push for paths, seamless, frictionless experiences that prioritize convenience and profit over human engagement. This creates spaces that discourage messiness, complexity, and deviation from the norm. This experience translates into algorithms that filter out dissent, controversy, and alternative perspectives. It smooths out the rough edges of human interaction, leading to echo chambers and a narrowing of the public spaces we live in.

Our #geekproblem is a part of this dotcons mess, that, spreads into our needed openweb reboot, the sanitized, controlling path is not conducive to real social change. Our natural desire for control (thus safety) is a social problem of “tidying up,” where anything that doesn’t fit into a blinded #mainstreaming categories is thrown out.

The native openweb path is based on ideas and movements that stand in stark contrast to the polished, walled, gated gardens of the dotcons. It’s about creating spaces where mess is not only tolerated but celebrated. Why? Because mess is where serendipity happens. It’s where people come together in unpredictable ways, where different perspectives collide and, through that collision, new and unexpected spaces are opened up for people and communities to take different paths.

When we think about projects on the openweb, whether it’s decentralized social networks like #Mastodon or collaborative platforms like #Wiki’s, they are often messy spaces. They are places where people bring their full, complex selves—warts and all—into the conversation. And that’s what makes them so powerful. Unlike the mainstream platforms, which control and filter, the openweb is alive with the possibility of serendipity. It’s a place where things are being broken down and rebuilt, where people are open to change, so they can challenge the #mainstreaming.

The challenge for those of us working in building the openweb is to learn to love mess, to see it not as a problem to be solved but as a healthy part of the journey. This means accepting that there will be conflict, misunderstandings, and periods of chaos. It means recognizing that there will be little perfect if any polished solution, and that’s okay. Mess is fertile ground, as composting transforms waste into soil, mess is compost for new ideas. We take the scraps, the discarded parts, and the failures and turn them into new connections, new networks, that have the potential to grow into a more equitable digital paths both online and offline.

Mess is resistance, a way of saying that we refuse to be tidied up, categorized, and sanitized. We are messy, complicated, and unpredictable, and this is where our strength lies. Mess is human, at the centre of this path is a simple truth, humans are messy. Our lives are messy. Our relationships are messy. And any system or platform that pretends otherwise is denying this human experience. The openweb should be a place that reflects the full spectrum of human life, not just the neatly packaged version that the dotcons want to sell us.

To turn the chaos, conflict, and complexity into a fertile ground for growth, involves developing better tools for mediation, conflict resolution, and collaborative decision-making within our communities, the #OGB is such a project. It means creating paths and “commons” where different voices can be heard #indymediaback is a media project for this, where disagreements can be worked through constructively, and where there is room for both dissent and consensus #OMN if the overarching project.

The idea of composting the mess is not about eliminating it but transforming it. Just like in nature, where decomposing matter is essential for new growth, our digital and social ecosystems need a process for turning the old, the broken, and the chaotic into the new and vibrant #makeinghistory is a project for this.

The journey to a better openweb is not going to be straight. It will be full of twists and turns, false starts, and breakdowns. But in that mess lies the potential for real, meaningful change. The polished, controlled environments of the #dotcons cannot offer this; they are too invested in maintaining the status quo.

With the committent to the #openweb, the challenge is to embrace the mess, to see it not as a hindrance but as an opportunity. It is in this mess that we will find energy, creativity, and resilience to build a more human-centered internet. Let’s roll up our sleeves, get our hands dirty, and start composting. The future is messy, and that’s exactly why it’s worth fighting for.

“Bad Faith” Arguments Dominate Social Media

Social media is a cacophony of voices, opinions, and debates. It was supposed to democratize communication, providing a network where people could have their say. But instead, to often, it’s become on one hand an addictive drug to plassify and indoctrinate people and on the other a battlefield where “bad faith” arguments thrive. This isn’t a coincidence; it’s a feature of how these platforms are designed from the last 40 years of mess making. The algorithms of the #dotcons like Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and their ilk, are built to prioritize engagement over truth, sensationalism over sincerity, and division over understanding. The prevalence of bad faith arguments on social media is a glaring symptom of a deeper problem, the way these platforms are fundamentally structured to reward the worst aspects of human behaviour.

Why we must act on this. A bad faith argument is not a desire to seek truth or understanding, rather to manipulate, deceive, and derail a conversation. The goal is not dialogue or progress, but to “win” the conversation to maintain dominance in the social media space. These tactics are rampant on platforms driven by metrics like shares, likes, and comments, which measure engagement but not the quality or sincerity. This mess includes straw man tactics, misrepresentation, abd outright lies.

The dotcons centralized platforms are controlled by corporate interests, built from the #deathcult, this revenue and control comes from keeping users engaged for as long as possible, usually through sensationalist content that triggers emotional responses. Outrage, fear, and anger are potent engagement tools; they make people comment, share, and return to the platform to see what happens next. Bad faith arguments are perfect for this model because they often incite strong reactions.

In this addiction economy, every comment, share, and retweet is currency. This economy thrives on polarization, controversy, and conflict. Users are encouraged to build their own “brands,” around strong opinions or divisive stances. This devalues nuanced discussions and good faith engagement, and is how bad faith arguments not only survive but thrive on these networks.

This is particularly damaging for people and movements trying to push meaningful social change to challenge the current mess. Meaningful conversations are drowned out by bad faith noise, making it easy to lose direction. People who want to build alternatives are caught up in the quagmire of defending themselves against disingenuous attacks rather than advancing the conversation and developing practical paths away from the very mess they are stuck in.

On the people to people #openweb, community-oriented path, this problem is not as bad. Decentralized, community-run spaces, offer a refuge from the dynamics of the dotcons, but this balance also needs work. This is still a side show, the reality, for many, these alternatives seem fringe or unnecessary as this mess spills over into constant nasty and exhausting social media firefights. People burn out, lose focus, and become cynical, feeding back mess to drive people to not sustain the move to the #openweb, all outcomes that benefit the status quo.

The dominance of bad faith arguments on dotcons social media is not an accident; it’s a product of platforms designed for profit and control rather than social good. The challenge for the openweb is to foster spaces where dialogue can thrive. This needs effort, both in technical development and social engagement, it requires a shift away from the toxic paths of the #dotcons and toward a more humane, decentralized, and open online and offline paths. Let’s take the first step by acknowledging the mess and then get to work composting this #OMN.

Looking at this, it’s understandable that critical voices are met with resistance for speaking plainly about the gravity of our environmental and social crises. Many people struggle with the harsh reality we are highlighting because it’s easier to maintain a hopeful or neutral stance than to confront the depths of the crisis. By addressing these issues directly, we do push people to think critically about the precarious state of the world, even if that message isn’t well-received.

The discomfort some feel in response to this pushing reflects a broader cultural tendency to avoid confronting grim truths. However, it’s often the uncomfortable truths that spur meaningful change. Acknowledging the severity of environmental breakdown, rising authoritarianism, and fascism is crucial to forming strategies that can address them. In essence, this message challenges the status quo, which is why it’s met with resistance, but it’s that very challenge that fosters a much-needed awakening in others. Let’s keep pushing for that realism; it’s part of the solution.

The #openweb, the #commons, the real-world spaces we build are where the future lies

Resilience is community and trust, this resilience grows by connecting the actions of today to the possibilities of tomorrow, even when that future is unknowable. It’s rooted in community, and community thrives on mutual trust. Trust isn’t about keeping a ledger; it’s about giving freely without expectation. Money is not the foundation of resilience. Across the world, billions live resilient lives by supporting each other, because if they don’t, they all go under. From our privileged view, we often forget that resilience is nurtured in these commons.

We need to think about this: The idea of dual power isn’t new. It goes back to revolutionary moments when people realized the need to build alternatives to existing oppressive structures rather than only confronting them head-on. In the current political climate, where the failures of state and capitalist control are glaring, we need to revisit and reframe this idea of “dual power”. This isn’t a utopian dream or a naïve belief that we can merely build around the edges while the world burns. It’s about creating practical, grounded alternatives that directly challenge the existing system by living outside of it and dismantling it from the inside.

The current mess, look around. We are surrounded by a mess of our own making. The relentless march of #neoliberalism has commodified every aspect of our lives, and the #dotcons have taken over our social spaces, transforming genuine human interaction into data points for corporate profit and control. The state, meant to serve the people, is a tool of the greedy and nasty, maintaining control through fear, surveillance, and repression. It doesn’t take much to see that the paths we are currently on are leading to #climatechaos, widespread inequality, social and ecological breakdown.

But here’s the problem: most people still think we have choices within this mess. They talk about reforming the system, fixing capitalism, or making dotcons tech more ethical while continuing to operate on the same lost paths. This is delusion, a comfortable delusion for some, but a delusion nonetheless.

On the #DIY path, dual power is about creating parallel paths that coexist with the current ones but serve entirely different functions. Instead of asking for scraps from the masters’ table, we build our own tables, with food that nourishes everyone. It’s about constructing alternative social, economic, and political structures that are directly in opposition to the current hierarchies and power dynamics.

It’s not just about building alternative structures, though. It’s more important for actively delegitimizing and dismantling the existing power structures of capitalism and the state. This involves #directaction, solidarity, and collective organizing to challenge and change state and capitalist control in all its forms. It’s about a two-fold strategy: building the new while composting the old.

Why dual power matters, for too long, the left and radical movements have been stuck in reactionary paths, fighting battles on terrain chosen by the state and capital. We need to change this by recreating a new path, a space where we shape the traditions and myths that shape us. This is not just some theoretical exercise; it’s already happening in many parts of the world.

We see it in the #fediverse, on #mastodon, #bluesky and #noster networks, in grassroots mutual aid networks springing up during the current crises when the state and corporate structures fail. We see it in community run food cooperatives, decentralized digital spaces, and local assemblies where decisions are made collectively, rather than by a few in power. This is not an abstract idea, it’s lived practice, a shift from fighting against the system to creating something new and more humane.

Building dual power in a digital age, the #openweb and federated networks offer a glimpse of what dual power can look like. Unlike the #dotcons that feed on greed and manipulation, the openweb is rooted in principles that serve the community, #4opens, transparency, open collaboration, and autonomy. But even here, we often fall into the trap of merely copying the structures we’re trying to replace, creating the same mess under a different banner. The next step needs to be truly native to the 4opens path, transparent, open, and accountable, rejecting the commodification that the dotcons have normalized.

But digital spaces alone won’t save us. They are tools, important ones, no doubt, but we need a broader focus. We need to create real-world spaces of resistance and creation. Think community gardens that also serve as meeting points for local decision-making. Think of decentralized energy cooperatives that break free from corporate control. Think of neighbourhood assemblies that replace the hollow, bureaucratic local governments that most people have lost faith in. This is dual power in practice.

The roadblocks, the #Geekproblem and #Fasherista paths, let’s not romanticize this process. We need to acknowledge the challenges within our movements, the #geekproblem and the #fashernista paths that unconsciously block the change we need. The geekproblem is the obsession with technical solutions over social and political ones, while the fashernista path focuses on trendy but superficial activism that serves as more of a social club, careerism, than a serious challenge to power. Both paths have their place, but they should not dominate our paths. We need to keep our focus on the bigger picture.

Moving beyond the noise, to those who say, “Now is not the time,” I ask, “When will it be?” The crisis is here. We are all worshiping the #deathcult, masking 40 years of #neoliberal ideology, pretending we have choices that simply don’t exist. Now is precisely the time to dig in, get our hands dirty, and start composting this mess we’ve been dragged into. The work ahead isn’t easy, and there will be mistakes, missteps, and mess-ups along the way. But that’s okay. Composting is messy work, and so is building a more open and sustainable world.

If you’re waiting for someone to tell you what to do, you’ve already missed the point. Dual power isn’t a blueprint; it’s a living practice. It’s a call to start building the new and composting the old, right now, where you are. Lift your head, look at the mess, and start digging. Together, we can build something better than the scraps we’ve been given. Join us on this humanistic adventure in social technology and direct action. The #openweb, the #commons, and the real-world spaces we build are where the future lies. Let’s make it happen #OMN

Free Software is Political

In progressive discussions about technology and open source, there is intolerant pushing of mess from people who say “just focus on the code” without the politics. This is an understandable outlook, but it is also stupid, based on a misunderstanding of what is Free/Open Source Software (#FOSS). This everyday pushing of mess making comes from #blinded #mainstreaming people claiming that FOSS is “a-political” or should be kept that way, and shows a lack of any understanding of this movement.

As this article highlights, the idea of “a-political” Free Software is not only incorrect; it’s historically nonsense. Free Software is intrinsically and unavoidably political. It is not simply about code; it is about who controls the code and, therefore, who controls the user. This is why the path that many projects take, to jam FOSS into capitalism without addressing these core issues, is a mess and failing path.

The roots of free software are in a political and ethical movement that just happens to focus on software. “Computer users should be free to modify programs to fit their needs, and free to share software, because helping other people is the basis of society.” This is not just a technical stance; it is a moral, ethical, and political one. The idea that users should have the right to control their own digital lives and help others do the same is at the heart of Free Software. This #KISS foundation opposes proprietary software, where users are legally prevented from helping their neighbours, thus restricting their freedom.

“Computer users should be free to modify programs to fit their needs, and free to share software, because helping other people is the basis of society.”

The emergence of the “Open Source” in the late 1990s pushed change on this “native” path, into a more #mainstreaming direction by shifting focus to development benefits, pushing out the ethical and political core. This, however, does not change the foundational politics of Free Software, it merely tries to mask it, to hide it, by pushing out of sight the political core, this is mess making and the normal mainstream “common sense” when it comes to taking up any Alt paths, this is a history we need to stop.

The difference between Free Software and Open Source: “Open source is a development methodology; free software is a social movement.” For the #opensource path, non-free software is a suboptimal technical solution. For the FOSS path, non-free software is a social problem that needs challenging and changing. This is a distinction that some who try to take this path fail to recognize, leading to the meany messy social and coding projects we try to make work today.

As the #dotcons world builds crises of privacy, control, and trust, the relevance of these distinctions, hopefully, becomes more into focus. From tech giants abusing data to governments exploiting backdoors, the ethical foundation that Free Software rests upon is needed, not optional.

The politics of software, the idea that software can be a-political, is a misunderstanding of what software does and represents. As Larry Lessig says – “Our choice is not between ‘regulation’ and ‘no regulation.’ The code regulates. It implements values, or not. It enables freedoms, or disables them. It protects privacy, or promotes monitoring.” Every decision in software development, from what features to include, to how data is handled, to what kind of accessibility is provided, is a political one. There is no “neutral” code. Decisions about prioritizing user rights, security, and privacy are political decisions, and they shape the wider digital networks we live within.

All code is ideology solidified into action – thus most contemporary code is capitalism, this is hardly a surprise if you think about this at all. Yes, you can try and act on any ideology path from this code, but the outcome and assumptions are preprogramed. If we continue to pretend that the software and platforms can be devoid of politics, we are, taking a side, and actively contributing to the mainstream mess that dotcons push, and this is the mess we urgently need to move away from. As outlined on my website, we need to focus on building a #openweb projects that respect people, rather than merely mimicking corporate platforms with a veneer of openness as we do so often, on the #Fediverse, #Bluesky etc.

Conclusion: stop pretending and start building, to those who wish to “just code” without the politics, it needs to be continually pointed out strongly that is impossible in the path of impactful software development. Every piece of software carries with it values, ethics, and political implications. Acknowledging this is the first step toward building digital networks that serves the people, rather than controlling them. We need to walk a path away from the mess of #mainstreaming towards a more open and humanistic internet.

This is not a hard path to take #OMN

The Slow Evaporation of FOSS value

The article “The Slow Evaporation of the FOSS Surplus” by Baldur Bjarnason discusses the gradual decline in the effectiveness and sustainability of Free and Open Source Software (#FOSS) within, unspoken context of a capitalist economy. The argument is that FOSS, once a thriving ecosystem driven by community effort and collaboration, is now being drained of its vitality by the growing dominance of corporate interests.

Bjarnason points out that the initial “surplus” of creativity, time, and resources that allowed FOSS to grow is being consumed as #dotcons extract value from open-source projects without reinvesting in their development or maintenance. The maintaining of these central projects is thus falling on unpaid or underpaid developers, leading to burnout and stagnation. This mess leads to a less diverse and less vibrant FOSS ecosystem, with projects struggling to sustain themselves without the good will, resources and community support they once had.

This current path highlights a fundamental issue, trying to fit the ethos of FOSS with in the framework of capitalism is a losing battle. FOSS is based on principles of collaboration, sharing, and community effort, its values are a very bad fit with capitalism’s focus on profit maximization, competition, and market control. Attempting to push FOSS, for example the open-source movement, to work better in the mess is not only unsustainable but also counterproductive.

There is an increasing untenable cost to #mainstreaming FOSS within capitalist norms. In simple terms, burnout and decline of community projects. The commercialization of FOSS compromises its fundamental principles—collaboration, freedom, and shared knowledge. Instead of serving the public good, projects are twisted to serve corporate agendas, often at the expense of the communities that built them. This leads to a loss of sustainability, to a decline in quality, security vulnerabilities, and eventually, the abandonment of core projects.

The main problem we face is few people believe there is any viable alternative to this current mess. To ansear this I have been writing for more than 20 years on my website, that there is, clearly showing the pressing need to move away from the #mainstreaming, capitalist path, and how the solution is not to “fix” FOSS within the capitalist framework but to use FOSS as a tool to step away from the current mess.

In the face of global crises like onrushing #climatechaos and resulting social and ecological break down, it becomes clear that we don’t have the choices we pretend we do. We can’t keep perpetuating the myth that we can, or should, bend open-source and collaborative technologies to fit the current capitalist path without real repercussions. With this strongly in mind, we need to use activism to mediate the #mainstreaming pretence, to shift resources and focus to explore alternative paths that align better with the values of #FOSS and the #openweb. The project I talk about a lot, the #OMN is such a path.

This involves, reinvigorating community-driven development by prioritizing projects that serve public interests and are maintained by communities of action. To create new economic models, such as cooperatives, public funding, and community-supported software to feed a culture of resilience to take the dangers paths of then next century.

In this widened view of the original post, “the slow evaporation of the FOSS surplus” I try and make visible the broader systemic failure we need to think about for change and challenge. We are running out of time and resources to take different paths, it’s crucial to recognize that the challenges we face, from software sustainability to climate change. We need to stop pretending that patching up the current system will work and start building new pathways that are true to the “native” #openweb values, to demand a radical departure from the status quo #KISS

Mediating the prat’ish behaviour and #deathcult mentality

When alternatives bridge to #mainstreaming in our #openweb movement and the broader #dotcons landscape, we find ourselves confronting a troubling dynamic—a rise in prat’ish behaviour, characterized by ego-driven conflict, divisiveness, and resistance to meaningful change, this threatens to undermine the real progress we urgently need.

At the heart of this issue is the 40 years of #deathcult mentality—a mindset defined by #neoliberal values, the relentless pursuit of profit, and a shallow adherence to the mess of the current status quo. This mentality permeates not just the big tech giants, but also, unfortunately, seeps into our own #4opens movements, like the #fediverse, when we become entangled in reproducing their “common sense” paths.

The #deathcult is a useful metaphor to use, representing a blind adherence to systems that are actively destroying our planet, eroding our communities, and undermining our humanistic values. When we speak of current #mainstreaming as a killer problem, we are talking about this neoliberalism, and that while this is not a part of our culture, it feeds into it. It’s not only a problem with “them”—the dotcons—but is also reflected within our movements. Even in the openweb and #fediverse, spaces built to resist such values, we see tendencies toward this #mainstreaming creeping in, the huge influxes of liberals, bring the replications of patterns of hierarchy, exclusion, and competition, even as they claim to oppose them.

We need practical steps to mediate this and move to a constructive path:

Embrace radical honesty and reflection, we need to start with radical honesty about our own roles in perpetuating the problems we face. Are we unconsciously replicating the patterns of the #dotcons? Are we engaging in excluding grassroots native paths by that prioritize ego over community? Reflecting on these questions is crucial.
Promote transparent and open dialogue by creating spaces both online and offline for open and honest communication, like the #OMN. We need to move away from secretive, behind-the-scenes decisions and instead encourage a culture of transparency where disagreements are aired constructively. Use the #4opens (Open Data, Open Source, Open Standards, and Open Process) as guiding principles helps us pick better tools for this.
Encourage diversity of thought and approach, let’s challenge the #mainstreaming impulse by embracing a diversity of thought and approaches. Different strategies and solutions flourish, even if they seem unconventional or counter to prevailing norms. On the progressive path, encourage people to experiment, fail, and try again without fear of ridicule or exclusion.
Use shovels and compost as metaphors for action, instead of shovelling dirt on each other’s efforts, we need to shovel it into the compost heap—taking what doesn’t work or what has failed and turning it into fertile ground for new growth. This means consciously choosing to see conflict and disagreement as opportunities for transformation rather than threats.
Reject the #deathcult mentality, that is deeply ingrained but not unchangeable. Reject the idea that we must always be in competition, that progress is a zero-sum game, or that only the fittest deserve to survive. Instead, let’s balance cooperation, mutual aid, and community over profit, power, and exclusion.
Build real alternatives, not only #FOSS copies, many of our attempts to build alternatives have, so far, merely replicated the models of the #dotcons. It’s time to balance this copying of systems we oppose and instead start to create native alternatives, there are meany good histories we can build from, an example #indymediaback is more truly embodied in the principles we value.

Composting this mess, we need a way to mediate the prat’ish behavior and the pervasive #deathcult mentality. We cannot afford to be the ones saying, “Now is not the time.” To those who say this, I say: Get off your knees, lift your head, and look at the mess we have made. It’s time to confront this problem head-on and work hard to compost it.

If we are to get anywhere with the messy #openweb reboot we need to be nice when calling prats, prats, do it a lot, but try and keep this #fluffy

UPDATE: this is a difficult path, will use this space to LINK to the problem resources:

https://fediverse-governance.github.io/images/fediverse-governance.pdf this report is focused on #NGO #fashernista and to a lesser extent #geekproblm, the is useful information from this limited view path.

https://infrastructureinsights.fund the outreach text on this is nice, but look at who makes up the Review Board and you see the funding at best is poured down the drain, and, at worst, will misshape the #openweb native path.

And meany more, to help post links in comment for me to add and comment on, thanks.

Navigating the Trolls

There is a shifting of social and political paths underway, we will have a move to the left or the right, the centre path has made itself irrelevant through, with not having any valid path to mediate, growing social divisions and ecological breakdown. On the left in our efforts to find meaningful change, we often encounter the phenomenon of “trolling” a problem that has become more prevalent and divisive in recent years. The trolls, emboldened by the anonymity and reach of the #dotcons, try to act as gatekeepers of thought, determined to shut down any ideas or alternatives that fall outside their narrow, and often mean-spirited, views of the world. No matter which political ideology they think they are pushing, this is a right-wing path driven by fear and the need for control. It can be useful to look at these individuals as being drawn from two distinct but overlapping groups: #geekproblem and #fashionista.

The geekproblem, is normally a technical path, but on the social side they often approach activism with a rigid mindset, fixated on technological solutions or unthinking, thus #blinded ideological frameworks. These people are generally well-versed in their specialized areas – be it coding, digital security, or political theory – but are quick to dismiss any ideas that don’t conform to their existing dogmatic and blinded beliefs. Pushing themselves as guardians of “the truth” or the “right way”, but this is from their world they can see, and thus way to often so narrow as to be irrelevant in the messy world we actually live in and have to navigate our way through.

This attitude manifests as trolling behaviour, attacking, undermining, and deriding people who suggest different approaches and alternatives. They forget that the goal is not to dominate the conversation, but to build a collective path that embraces diversity and complexity. Their (blinded) rigidity becomes a barrier to experimentation and cooperation, stifling the messy but working solutions we desperately need.

On the other #blocking path, we have the #fashionistas who are more concerned with appearances, trends, and social currency within activist spaces and wider #mainstreaming society. This group prioritizes being seen as part of the “right” movements, using the “right” language, or following the “right” trends over actually engaging in real meaningful, substantive work. They engage in social gatekeeping, where deviations from the accepted norms or language lead to ostracization and public shaming. This too is trolling, shutting down anything that is outside their blind #deathcult fed #stupidindividualism. Adding to the mess, not composting it, unconsciously replicate the exclusionary tactics they sometimes claim to fight against, creating a culture of fear and conformity instead of openness, debate and the needed paths of diversity.

The consequence of this is the current lack of alternatives, the stifling mess where any alternative outside narrow definitions is attacked, ridiculed, then ignored. This prevents the growth of diverse solutions by marginalizing, then #blocking voices that think differently, and ultimately reinforces the status quo. In effect, the trolls on the internet, whether consciously or unconsciously, are blocking the change and challenge we need. This is a very right-wing path, what ever you might like to call this.

The sad and bad paradox is that these groups can share a genuine desire for social justice and systemic change, yet the inadequacy of their behaviour serves to uphold the paths and systems of oppression and exclusion they seek to dismantle. Trolling thrives on conflict and negativity, which feeds this mess so they can feed off it, it’s a nasty and negative circle.

What paths can we take? How do we move beyond this mess?

We can try and mediate this by focusing on compassionate communication, listening without instant judgment, speaking with some empathy, and seeking to understand rather than only to dominate—we can create spaces that are more inclusive and productive to find path to disagree without being disagreeable. Are we shutting down ideas too quickly? Are we dismissing people who don’t fit neatly into our ideological boxes? By staying open to self-critique, we can prevent ourselves from falling into the trap of this kind of narrow thinking. We can substance this path by building communities that have deepening roots in mutual aid and support.

To sustain these communities we need to focus on concrete actions, not only words, both the #geekproblem and #fashernista paths get bogged down in theoretical debates or performative displays of activism. Instead, we prioritize concrete actions that make tangible differences in our communities, whether through, building alternative networks to create spaces for messy dialogue and collaboration.

A first important step is to move outside the bindings of the dotcons, this is basic, the current internet infrastructure, dominated by social media giants (the #dotcons), is designed to amplify division, outrage, and addiction. To start to build meaningful alternatives, we need to step away from these platforms and cultivate the #openweb—decentralized, community-driven paths where we can experiment with new forms of social organization and communication.

For the last 20 years the has been a historic project, the #OMN, that is based on a culture that values diverse approaches, where multiple strategies and ideas can coexist, and where there is room for trial and error. To do this project requires a fundamental shift in an affinity group to move from rigid dogmas to a more flexible, #4opens approaches that encourage learning from the grassroot history mistakes and successes alike.

We can compost the negativity—the trolling, the rigid thinking, the performative posturing—to find fertile ground for new ideas to grow. To keep on this path we must remain open to different possibilities, willing to take risks, and courageous enough to challenge not just the status quo, but also ourselves. The trolls will always be there, but we don’t have to feed them. Instead, let’s focus on creating the world we want to see. The humanistic adventure in social technology, an Open Media Network of diverse voices and ideas. Let’s embrace the mess, compost it, and use it to grow something new. The path is open, and it can be a more happy one.

https://opencollective.com/open-media-network

Composting the mess

We live in a world surrounded by the mess we’ve created, both online and offline. Whether it’s the toxic influence of social media giants, the #dotcons, or the broader social issues we face, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the problems. But what if, instead of despairing, we saw this mess as an opportunity? What if we could compost this mess, turning it into fertile ground for something new and beautiful?

Yes, the mess is everywhere, in our fractured communities, in the endless scrolling through algorithm-driven feeds, in the loss of meaningful connections, and in the environmental degradation that threatens our basic survival. This mess is the result of systems built on 40 years of greed, selfishness, and exploitation, paths that prioritize profit over people and the planet. It’s the #deathcult we have all been worshipping.

Our use of the #dotcons for the last 20 years, designed for maximum addiction for profit, have amplified this mess. They feed off our attention, our data, and our emotions, creating a cycle of dependency that pulls us further away from the open, decentralized web path we once envisioned. This mess is not just digital; it’s a reflection of the deeper social and environmental crises we face.

But there is a different path, messes can be cleaned up, and better yet, they can be composted. Just as composting turns organic waste into rich soil, we can transform the mess we’ve made into the nutrients to grow a better future. This isn’t about ignoring the mess or pretending it doesn’t exist—it’s about acknowledging it, learning from it, and using it to push positive change.

History matters, recognize the value in the mess: Every mistake, every problem, and every bit of chaos holds valuable lessons. The mess we’ve made online and in our communities reveals what doesn’t work and points us towards what could. By understanding the root causes of the mess, we can begin to address them in meaningful ways.
Reimagine to rebuild: The first step in composting the mess is to lift our heads from our current path. In the digital realm, this means supporting and taking a part in the current moving away from centralized, profit-driven platforms and towards decentralized, community-focused alternatives native to the #openweb path. It means mediating the #stupidindividualism that feeds the mess and embracing a more balanced, collective, cooperative approach to problem-solving.
Act locally, think globally: Composting the mess isn’t just a grand, abstract idea, it’s something we can all do in our everyday lives. By supporting local communities, participating in #4opens projects, and engaging in meaningful, real-world connections, we start to build the foundations for a healthier, more sustainable world.
Celebrate the journey: Composting is a slow, deliberate process, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. As we begin to see the fruits of our labour, stronger grassroots communities, healthier ecosystems, and a more open, democratic web, we can take pride in the fact that we’ve turned a mess into something beautiful. This is a journey worth celebrating, with all its challenges and resulting mess.

The happy path to a fertile future, the mess we’ve made, doesn’t have to define us. By choosing to compost it, we can create a future that’s richer with possibilities. Imagine a world where communities are connected and empowered, where the web is a place of openness and collaboration. This isn’t just a dream, it’s a reality that we can build together, one small step at a time. The mess is real, but so is our capacity to turn it into something better. Let’s roll up our sleeves, grab our shovels, and get to work composting the mess #OMN

And that, my friends, is a happy ending worth striving for. 🌱

Humanistic adventures in social technology

The #dotcons are designed for greed and selfishness, everything about them feeds this and in turn feeds off this. This is coded into them and thus cannot be simply fixed, the problem we need to look at now is that we cannot reboot alternatives by simply copying them in #FOSS as we have done so far in the #Fediverse. This worked well for the first step, for the next step we need to move past simply copying the current #mainstreaming mess. The next step needs to be “native” to the #4opens path that we have started down. Let’s thank the people who copied, give them the gifts of statues and security, they did us all a service, they deserve thanks for this not hatred.

Let’s have a deeper look at this mess, the dotcons—centralized platforms like Facebook, Google, and Twitter—are built on principles of greed, selfishness, and the relentless pursuit of profit. These platforms thrive by exploiting people’s data, feeding addictive behaviours, and amplifying divisions. Their design is rooted in extracting value from people and communities while feeding the addiction, giving back only enough to keep people in their flow, this extraction is hard coded in their architecture. With this knolage we can understand that they cannot be “fixed” by merely tweaking their features or policies. The problem is systemic, and attempts to create alternatives by simply copying their models in Free and Open Source Software (#FOSS) falls short of addressing this.

We collectively need to breaking free from the dotcons, this is already well underway, through initiatives like the Fediverse, which attempt to decentralize control and return power to the users. While this is a commendable effort and important, it’s still largely a replication of existing social media structures with a different governance model. To create a sustainable and humanistic alternative, we must go beyond imitation. We need to build “native” to the values embodied in the #4opens: open data, open source, open standards, and open processes.

Designing for community, unlike the dotcons, which encourage individualism and competition, new networks to balance this need to prioritize community and collective action. Features that encourage collaboration, mutual aid, and the sharing of resources, rather than self-promotion and accumulation of followers or likes. Embracing the #4opens guides every aspect of this technological path and coding development, to ensures that the platforms remain transparent, accountable, and adaptable, rather than fallback in to being driven by profit motives and the resulting feeding of “common sense” #stupidindividualism

There are meany ways out of this mess, one is that rather than simply copying the features of the dotcons, we can learn from different paths, histories, for example what works in the unsung world of grassroots activism. This has been a central path to the of liberalism over the 20th century, these traditions won all our social rights we now take for granted, though yes, we do need better “songs” on this path to motivate people.

This means avoiding venture capital funding, the same profit-driven dynamics that plague the dotcons. Instead, we should explore, affinity group and more formal cooperative ownership models, crowdfunding, and other forms of collective investment. When moving out from the current path, it’s important to recognize the pioneers in the reboot of our networks, to acknowledge and thank those who have worked hard to replicate the dotcons in FOSS, in the #Fediverse. These efforts have laid the groundwork for the #openweb and demonstrated that alternatives are possible. They deserve recognition and security for their contributions, as they have provided a needed first step in this journey.

After thanking these people and groups, we need crews to move forward the humanistic adventure in social technology who remember our history to act collaboratively. It’s not just about building new #FOSS tools, but about remembering the “native” ethos of online interaction—that prioritizes human well-being over corporate profit, and collective empowerment over simple individual gain.

The #OMN (Open Media Network) is a path that embody these principles and history to create a decentralized network of open media to empower people and communities. This journey will not be easy, but it is necessary. Who will join in this adventure? This is not fully mapped out, the is creative space to grow from the history of what has worked for the last few hundred years.

We need real alternative to the last 20 years of toxic #dotcons culture and capture https://opencollective.com/open-media-network

Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution

Bogged down in negative criticism, let’s focus on building something better

The mess we made with our addiction to #dotcons social media over the last 20 years means we need to look at the broader implications of how we interact with these platforms if we are to step away from this mess. Yes, criticism is a first step, a second step is seeding #openweb alternatives, then to stride away from this mess, we need to foster a culture of positive, constructive engagement to build grassroots communities of action. This means not only criticizing the current mess, but actively working towards creating and promoting alternatives. By using our “spades” to dig into the issues and “composting” the negativity, we can cultivate a healthier humanistic social tech ecosystem where communities can thrive independently of corporate and state control.

The shovel and compost metaphor is a useful “organic” path on this, the “shovel” represents the tools we need to dig into and dismantle the current #dotcons structures. Where “composting” symbolize the process of breaking down these negative aspects (#stupidindividualism) and using them to cultivate something healthier and more sustainable. These simple metaphors encourage people to actively become a part of positive change by putting their energy into building and promoting openweb alternatives, rather than continuing to engage in the negative cycles perpetuated by #mainstreaming platforms and paths.

Positive engagement on the #openweb, instead of only criticizing inside the dotcons, is an effective path to promote and use alternatives. For this to work we not only need #FOSS copies like we have now in the #fediverse but real working alternatives as outlined by the #OMN (this so obviously needs devs and funding). We need tangible and the ground steps and resources, so people feel empowered to make the switch from closed, corporate-controlled platforms to open, grassroots ones.

On the spiky path, we URGENTLY need to change the instinct in the #geekproblem to close most communication tools with encryption, with the strong focus on privacy. For media, on balance, this is a very unhelpful path to take, but yes, there is a small role for closed, the path is in better balance. The “native” openweb idea is that some communication needs to be private and encrypted (20% closed), the majority of it should be open and accessible (80% open) to foster the communal #4opens path. By closing down communication to one to one or small groups using encryption, we are feeding the problem of #stupidIndividualism. This problem behaviour focuses on individualistic, self-serving actions that reinforce the problems’ by reflection of the current mess, we only see this path. When we take this closed path, we have no room for encouraging social constructive dialogue. Simply put, striking the right balance between open and closed communication is essential for the “native” path to building a resilient openweb.

On the fluffy #fashionista side, we need to balance the paths from performative activism, of using sarcasm that mostly fuels the system people aim to critique. Sarcasm and comedy on the dotcons has been a staple of fluffy online activism for the last 20 years. The Issue with this is that sarcasm and comedy are focused to criticize and ridicule inside the very dotcons platforms that control our personal communication and communities. While this might feel like a way to resist or subvert these platforms, it disastrously drives engagement and feeds the data algorithms that sustain them, and are focued on controlling us and our movements. Engaging in this kind of humour provides temporary relief and a transient sense of camaraderie, but it actually is only reinforcing the power of these platforms by driving more traffic and interaction. The better strategy is to disengage and move toward alternative #openweb platforms. Instead of feeding into this #dotcons cycle, the goal should be to step away from these platforms and take collective action to build and support openweb alternatives #KISS

Final thought, instead of only getting bogged down in negative criticism, the focus needs to be on building something better. A simple step is to support a path with real history https://opencollective.com/open-media-network

The victimhood narrative needs composting

The #openweb – Escaping the Grip of the Algorithm

Power and opportunity are limited to small “nasty” groups

There are people who like to talk in terms of #elitism, so will address this path. It should be a shared “common sense” that the process of becoming part of the “elite” is not based on merit or competence but is influenced by luck, charisma, and the ability to impress the right people. This path under capitalism, where greed is the messier of good, is being more effectively “nasty” to climb the greasy pole of power. This creates a system that is about maintaining existing #mainstreaming power structures, rather than about genuinely recognizing and fostering any socially useful talent. The hereditary problem is driven more by luck and charisma over competence. There are meany reasons for this mess, here are a few:

Gatekeeping based on vibes: getting into elite positions has more to do with subjective factors like luck, charisma, and the ability to navigate social dynamics than with competence. This makes the process arbitrary and exclusionary.
Insider discomfort of “elites”, on some level, know that their position is not the result of their brilliance. This insecurity drives them to reinforce their status by judging others and filtering out those who don’t fit their preconceived notions of what it takes to be in power.
Defending self-image, elites maintain their self-image by ensuring that only people who resemble themselves, who have the same background, behavior and values—are allowed to hold their power. This creates a cycle where the same type of people continue to float like shit to the surface, perpetuating the mainstream status quo.
This leave the majority of untapped potential, countless communicates and people who could perform “elite jobs” just as well, if not better, than those currently in power. However, they are systematically excluded because they don’t fit the narrow criteria that the elites use to maintain their sense of superiority.
Elitism as a tool for social control, about creating artificial scarcity, making it seem as though only a self-selecting few are capable of holding power and wealth. This concentration of power is not a natural outcome, but a deliberately constructed barrier to keep power in the hands of the few.
This has implications for society, that limiting opportunities to a tiny group, elitism not only stifles humanistic paths and progress but also reinforces inequality and injustice. The wealth and power remain concentrated to the nasty few, while transformative ideas and talents are shut out.

This should raise broader concerns about social and economic inequality. The idea that power and opportunity are artificially limited to a small “nasty” group has significant implications for how “good” society can function. It raises questions about basic fairness and effectiveness of current paths, and whether they serve the common good or only protect the interests of this nasty few. If we are to look at and analysis elitism as a system of artificial scarcity and power concentration, then it reveals the deep inequalities inherent in our current #mainstreaming society, it should be obvious that we need to change and challenge this mess making. Let’s not talk about the elite any more.

Do you have a shovel #OMN

Myth of the tech genius

Moving Forward, A Few Practical Suggestions

We likely share a deep frustration with the current state of #mainstreaming society, particularly that people have willingly stayed inside and thus are complicit in the harmful systems perpetuated by #dotcons. How can we emphasize the importance of stepping away from these toxic paths to take genuine openweb paths rather than just renaming or repackaging existing ideas, that only leads to repeating the same stupid mistakes.

A simple step is making mainstreaming thinking dirty, using the story told by metaphors like deathcult and stupidindividualism that make the flaws in mainstream thinking visible and unappealing. This path has the effect of tarnishing the allure of these deathcult ideologies, to open up space for people to seek out and build alternatives. On this activism, there is a strong emphasis on the need to stop complaining about the mess and start building alternatives. The metaphors used are not only critiques, but also rallying cries for action—urging people to move beyond criticism and engage in the hard work of creating something better #OMN

By using metaphors, shared hashtags to galvanize people into action, we start to turn critique into compost that can nourish new growth. The path is in fostering real, community-based alternatives that move beyond the failures of the past. The effectiveness of these metaphors relies on a community building affinity group of action, adopting and using them consistently. To push shared understanding and drive cultural change, avoiding the pitfalls of #stupidindividualism to seeds the change and challenge we need.

The #Deathcult vs. Fascists is more than a metaphor, this needs to be said to help brake thought the political disillusionment. Comparing the current political landscape (Democrat/Labour as the deathcult and Trump/Tory as fascists) shows the deep dissatisfaction with the available choices, both sides are deeply flawed. Yes, we do face the reluctant decision to “hold your nose and vote for the deathcult” as a transient path. A pragmatic but cynical approach to dealing with the immediate threats posed by these systems.

Balancing community with Individualism is a #KISS path to move away from current extreme individualism, towards a more balanced approach that recognizes the importance of community and collective action. #StupidIndividualism, especially when it’s disconnected from community, is a root cause of many problems. This needs to be linked to the broader critique of #liberalism and #capitalism, where the balance between individual and community has been lost.

Growing affinity groups is a path to encourage the formation of communities that share these critical views and are committed to building alternatives. These groups can use the hashtags as rallying points to organize and communicate, but the real work will be in the relationships and actions they build together. To turn this critique into action, the #OMN has tangible projects, the focus is constructive, community-oriented alternative solutions.

This is a call for transformation and regeneration, not just complaining about the situation. Yes, composting the mess is a metaphor for grabbing a spade to take the mess we’ve created and turn it into something productive, something that can nourish new humanist #openweb growth. Building an alternative quickly like the #OMN is crucial to avoid repeating the same mistakes under different names, we need to really avoid this repetition.

A shovel comes to hand?

Ideas to build communities on this #KISS path please