[AktiviX] esf and imc-uk

[Josh Robinson]

has the potential for it: Dave (the post's author) is based in cambridge
and has helped quite a few of us convert to debian. he's also planning
on holding a larger-scale workshop on free software and activism in
cambridge at some point.

and it could be fun to do it at the ESF - although i doubt i'll be there
if it's in the dome...

loves,

j

On Sat, 2003-12-20 at 22:39, mp wrote:
> hi all,
> 
> an interesting perspective from an indymedia list.............
> 
> it is about Indymedia involvement and ideas for an Independent Media Centre
> (IMC) during the European Social Forum....
> 
> ...................... another aktivix?
> 
> ;)
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "yossarian" <yossarian1936 at speedymail.org>
> To: <Imc-uk-process at lists.indymedia.org>
> Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 10:18 PM
> Subject: [Imc-uk-process] esf and imc-uk
> 
> 
> the suggestion that we do both the corporate media
> > center and the imc media center could have a lot of benefits for us and
> > others, while exposing us to very little risk of recuperation, if it was
> > approached correctly.    We could use recycled computers as terminals,
> > bringing us into contact with people who are doing computer-recycling
> > projects in the UK and in Europe.  We could use Free Software, and try to
> > use that approach to build bridges with radical geek organizations, who
> > share some of our concerns about communications rights.  This would
> > expose the mainstream media to Free Software, strengthening that movement
> > and providing an awareness to hundreds of journalists that voluntary
> > organizations like the Debian project have built an operating system that
> > is a real alternative / threat to the corporate OS's.  The proximity of
> > an active independent media centre would also have a positive effect on
> > corporate media coverage, as they start to realize that we exist, that
> > people are participating in our vision of the media, and that many people
> > are listening to us all over the world.  It is even possible that some
> > otherwise worthless, cynical, alcoholic sell-out of a corporate
> > journalist might temporarily recover some glimmer of youthful optimism
> > and write something good.
> >
> > To avoid being used, we could set up the media centres as paid
> > professionals, but pitch it to the main ESF structure that we could do it
> > better, cheaper, and in a political manner that is much more consonant
> > with the stated goals of the Social Forum process than any other
> > organization.  A pitch like this would give the "democratise-the-esf"
> > crew a political issue to bite into, one they could win on its merits,
> > thus advancing the anti-authoritarian agenda more generally.
> >
> > I am not saying we should or shouldn't do this, I am simply speculating
> > about the worth of taking on specific projects.  There are probably other
> > things we could do, this is just one.  I think that in the above example
> > there is very little room for us to be "used", "recuperated", etc., in
> > fact I think that the reverse is probably more the case.  I also think
> > that the support of much of the membership of the authoritarian leftist
> > parties is actually quite soft, and that many of the more intelligent /
> > well-meaning people among them are wide open to our ideas (if presented
> > well).  In fact, I think that people who worry about us being recuperated
> > by the Leninists and NGOs may be looking at this issue from only one
> > side:  perhaps we should also think about how WE can recuperate THEM to
> > our ideas (here I am talking not of the leadership or the paper-selling
> > robots, but of the many members of the rank-and-file of these
> > organizations who simply don't know that there are alternatives).
> >
> > That's enough for now, still thinking about all of this,
> >
> > Yossarian
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ******
> >
> > "This intercontinental network of resistance, recognizing differences and
> > acknowledging similarities, will strive to find itself in other
> > resistances around the world. This intercontinental network of resistance
> > will be the medium in which distinct resistances may support one another.
> > This intercontinental network of resistance is not an organizing
> > structure; it has no central head or decision maker; it has no central
> > command or hierarchies. We are the network, all of us who resist."
> >
> > --Second Declaration of La Realidad for Humanity and Against
> > Neoliberalism
> >
> > Looking forward to 10 more years of Zapatismo...
> > http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/EzL10
> >
> > --
> > http://www.fastmail.fm - mmm... Fastmail...
> > _______________________________________________
> > Imc-uk-process mailing list
> > Imc-uk-process at lists.indymedia.org
> > http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-uk-process
> 
> _______________________________________________
> AktiviX mailing list
> AktiviX at burngreave.net
> http://www.burngreave.net/mailman/listinfo/aktivix
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part
URL: <https://lists.aktivix.org/pipermail/aktivix-discuss/attachments/20031221/0423ec7c/attachment.pgp>