What works?

What works in the rise of social justice movements and grassroots mobilization. Movements start at the local level, driven by people and groups who are directly affected by social injustices and are motivated to bring about change. For technology to be of use to build these out wider, we need to foster the importance of…

#TED – A Community of Delusions

For millennials lost after the mess of 9/11, the wars, economic upheaval, digital division, and social atomization, #TED was an appealing #mainstreaming alternate vision—of a society where ideas had currency, and a wider group of people could identify with the intellectual vanguard. This vision was delusion, but it easily overtook the norms of drift and…

Stories

A personal journal and a platform for broader discussions, this site reflects a deep engagement with grassroots media, #4opens technology, and the mess we make with neoliberalism and consumer culture. This tapestry of reflections, critiques, and ideas centred around technology, media, activism, and society is what you make of it, what are your thought-provoking, intersections…

Serendipity and #Hashtags

Hashtags are ubiquitous online, they categorize content to find and join conversations on topics. The problem with current hashtag usage is they reinforce individualism over collective action. This is an issue of neoliberal “common sense” and the domination of #dotcons, prioritizing profit rather than change challenge. Serendipity, the occurrence of events by chance, beneficially offer…

Hashtags for Social Change

The Potential of #Hashtags as Shared Social Paths #Hashtags have potential to be used for social change. They create connections between people, amplify voices, and mobilize communities. When used effectively, they transform individual expressions into collective movements. However, the current culture presents significant challenges to this. The Problem of #StupidIndividualism Today we are shaped by…

ActivityPub and Mastodon from a #closedweb prospective

A #closedweb Critique The Critique From an #openweb and #4opens perspective, the critique highlights a different mindset that is clearly incompatible with the current path. But yes, there are questions about the balance between openness and security. Let’s not get lost in the #geekproblem and look at them: Design for Abuse Critique: The assertion that…

Capitalism is the logic of the #dotcons

Let’s look at capitalism through the lens of #dotcons (a term that plays on “dot-coms” with a critical twist). In summary, “capitalism is the logic of the #dotcons” shows how capitalist paths have shaped the #openweb into a landscape to prioritize profit over public good, leading to the current mess of exploitation, centralization, surveillance, and…

Real Social Media is a Hard Balancing Act

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…

Open vs Closed in Tech

Open Systems: Emphasize transparency, inclusiveness, and shared power. Social interactions in open systems are visible, allowing for accountability and collective decision-making. Examples include public forums, open-source projects, and community assemblies. Closed Systems: Reserved for private interactions, where privacy and confidentiality are necessary. Examples include personal conversations, private messages, and some business dealings. The real fear…

#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…