[P2P-F] an evaluation of the flok

Sun Jul 6 15:24:48 CEST 2014

> On 6 jul. 2014, at 04:22, Michel Bauwens <michel at p2pfoundation.net> wrote:
> 
> Thanks for the first spate of reactions: orsan, willi, Kevin
> 
> First thing, yes Orsan, the hard politics of p2p transition in the existing context of capital-state-polity-policy-funding-culture.. that is the key issue we have to deal with, and I hope to add my own efforts to this, as soon as my homecoming fever is over ..
> 

The work in the Synthetic Overview report (http://p2p.coop/files/reports/collaborative-economy-2012.pdf) gives hints for political space as well. So, although it was talking about economic entities, the chapter one 'when vertical meets horizontal', can be adopted political relations, in this sense. 

The recent fb repost of a nice article by Ah Uhm gives very good insights as well: Unity sans Convergence
http://guerrillatranslation.com/?s=Unity

I responded to it on Facebook very briefly as below:

"I think the conscious act of transforming network into meshwork (read p2p distributed) by creating all possibilities for all the noses to link up each other, as will as the core information related to that network (this I got form michel's 2005 seminal article on p2p), as well as spaces, and channels that would generate more interlocking nodes between many meshwork (acting kind of as the fellowship of the ring) is emerging as the new ethics and politics in the network movements. The direction taken is clearly towards the creation of a big global meshwork. Unity and convergence makes a new sense in this new paradigmatic multi layer matrix, from inner to individual, to inter personal and community levels, recognising the simultaneous situations of autonomy and oneness in any given time and space location. This matrix if grows healthy, is allowing wider and bigger ripple effects in and between networks, so if there is growing positive synergy, then comes more frequent qualitative jump-changes (permanent rEvolutions) in one or several connected meshwork... Then no one can guess where would the upward spiral leads (REvolution)"

 The old politics, game of thrones, class wars, over the state hold, so on -from the early days of the state formation till today, weather left, right, revolutionary, liberal or conservative- were versions of mostly unethical, energy and people consuming practices. They were directly outcome of vertical dominant social structures, and always matched with vertical economic power relations and they feed one another. When a conflicts happens, it has became confusing and threatening for the other nodes of the network who are not directly part of the conflict. When or in case there is not enough information on the conflict issue, as well as about the who are the others on the network the conflicts allowed a space for clash of tight kind-networks, formed by strong ties of those involved in the conflict, and winner takes it all kind of corrective wars scenario. This pattern can give us a starting point to asses the level of p2pness, or meshworkness of a net. And one can guess, when even a perfectly designed and happening meshwork enters into a relationship with a vertical, like state, (as the Flok project) the situation generates unbalances and on both side. then the strength of the ethics and politics of meshwork movement should enters the picture from various ways and publicly. If this happens it can beat the vertical, stupid and slow machinery of the vertical. Yet it can work the other way around, a specially in the existing context of crisis, corruption culture, role of authority/male in the society. That can turn the ethics of meshworking around and shader it, Stalin like tactics can spread and destroy the links in and between the nodes, via for instance negative and suspicious posts by nodes feeding in mistrust so on. There are of course infiltration, agencies, spies, so on. But good thing is they are working for the stupid vertical, so once meshwork lets the fear and distrust occupies the ties, meshwork will collapse. the more relationship with state, either confront to transform it, or infiltrate to take it over, or attack it to throw it down, or defend your self it's attacks puts meshwork in a more vulnerable positions, challenge it's practices. The below is an analytical storming. This challenge however already exist and stands before those of us everyday when we effort to create real p2p distributed networks, as commons themselves. This is what I understand from creating 'prefigurative' relationships. Working on the germ form. 
Based on these I will try to think further and assess the p2pness level of the networks I involved. We might have a sort of index, where it would be easier to assess ethical, political, economic, communicative, organisational practices and relationships around us. 
O.
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