my understanding of the culture is that its openly, self-declared dictatorship (with some ugly stories from volunteers). <br><br>also, in terms of technical design its a lego-block approach where all aspects of life are reduced to a set of idealized building blocks, that are interconnected only to each other<br>
<br>that's totalitarian<br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Jul 18, 2011 at 9:47 PM, Devin Balkind <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:devin@sarapisfoundation.org">devin@sarapisfoundation.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
The build environment has been designed for consumers of proprietary products, not producers of free/libre/open ones.� Open hardware is designed for disassembly with modular, interchangable parts while proprietary hardware is designed for assembly with unique, disposable parts.� If the problem is consumerism, then I think that design IS the problem.<br>
<br>The success of OSE will be determined by the documentation it produces.� Right now the vision has been documented but the tools haven't been.� Some of us will watch how it goes, others will help out as best they can.� Either way, everything is voluntary so I think calling the project totalitarian is a bit of an exaggeration.� <br>
<div><div></div><div class="h5">
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 12:00 AM, Nicholas Roberts <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:niccolo.roberts@gmail.com" target="_blank">niccolo.roberts@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
personally I think that while the OSE project is idealistic and technically interesting, its also totalitarian, naive and a dangerous distraction from existing social systems, craft movements and appropriate technology<br>
<br>its a kind of utopian new age totalitarianism, with a digital fabrication and software development festish... if you cant model it, design it, it doesnt exist<br><br>real-life just doesn't work like that, you might be able to insulate yourself from that if you've got a stream of volunteers, a large number of donors etc, but really it only works for those principals at the core<br>
<br>the problem isn't a design problem, it's a social and political one<div><div></div><div><br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Jul 18, 2011 at 9:56 AM, Devin Balkind <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:devin@sarapisfoundation.org" target="_blank">devin@sarapisfoundation.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
Ben.� The free/libre/opensource movement needs to communicate more strategically with the public: marketing materials, user-friendly design, branding, apparel, music, parties etc.� We also need complete narratives.� One reason I was so drawn to <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/marcin_jakubowski.html" target="_blank">OSE</a> is that the project had such a complete story that fits within a comfortable narratives: high-tech homestead, DY farming, etc.� A friend told me last night how she thought the concept of 'recycling' has prepared the public to understand open source and that people wouldn't be able to comprehend the message five years ago.� So yes, I'm interested in marketing the free/libre/opensource movement to the mainstream public and would love to connect about this issue.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote"><div><div></div><div>On Sun, Jul 17, 2011 at 8:18 PM, Benjamin Brownell <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:solaureum@gmail.com" target="_blank">solaureum@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
</div></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div><div></div><div>
<p style="margin: 0px; font: 12px Helvetica;">Hi Sam,</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font: 12px Helvetica; min-height: 14px;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font: 12px Helvetica;">I respect the committed work at knowledge centers like the Land Institute, and P2PF here. I met Wes Jackson 10 or 12 years ago and was really awed by his mild, strong and principled demeanor, doing something very different in and for 'the heartland' of US and our pastoral production paradigms. And there is certainly proof-of-concept scattered about in coop and other forms, worldwide. I've visited a range of experimental sites and parleyed with many outstanding individuals and groups on the roads to integrally sound human existence. I've indulged my own vision for a safe sane supportive space, through land-based community studies and participation over several years and ecoregions, with the aim to share compelling stories in a kind of improv road-show and online diary (and tracking what others have done in this regard). I am an impatient person, and we are faced with urgent, growing, challenges. Even stepping back to a more academic/historical view, there's a lot of repatterning and propagation to carry out quickly. I just don't see the open knowledge program hitting home on its own--even missionary zeal has only afforded an approximately linear outreach. Net tech is a key new part of the program, but there still seems a large quantum barrier before the mainstream picks up. This is a competitive cultural evolution, and like it or not in important ways we're all effectively one culture now, float or flunk. That culture has leverage points though, if we look close at how it has been seduced and constrained toward current dysfunctions. This can be transverse-engineered.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font: 12px Helvetica; min-height: 14px;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font: 12px Helvetica;">Let's posit that there is a potential for tremendous demand/appreciation growth across demographics for sustainable culture forms that are not unrecognizable from within current system. Let's agree that the more people we can see heading in that general direction, shifting their attention, their inquiry, action and investment, the better for all. Let's say we don't have a half-century to watch this unfold 'organically' (not that I have any rigorous forecasts here, but certainly there's risk of agonizing sloth and stickiness). I see a challenge and opportunity to co-opt the mechanisms of market promotion for good. This is in fact selling people on 'something they didn't even know they needed' and yet it's also a product which, experientially, can 'sell itself' too--once it reaches people where they are at. That's the crux really, raising visibility and viability and fecundity of alternatives, in a competitive, contaminated, cultural landscape. This has a lot to do with money, media, and make-believe.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font: 12px Helvetica; min-height: 14px;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font: 12px Helvetica;">The discussion gets ethically queasy in a hurry, and if you take it all that seriously, it's probably going to force you to look away and stick with familiar staid method. It's beyond serious--it's the future of everything we identify with; but in a way this is also a game, and I suggest that the real results we get from playing enlightendly within the rules for a new set of goals, are definitive. Also, I'm not here to connive and convince anyone about ends justifying means, I want to present a personal perspective and a way forward that makes clear sense to who I am and what my unique background could provide for a powerful parallel track of transition, one that I do believe at this point is critical. If it adds up to some interest or seems worthy of strategic evaluation, please continue to engage.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font: 12px Helvetica; min-height: 14px;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font: 12px Helvetica;">I am writing out more of the ideas that come up for me in contemplation here, and some features in the emerging web-world that hold promise. I'd really like to have a live chat and sketch session on this range of topics with any/all of you soon. Let me first perhaps gather some instructive links to share for a better image of new tactics at work in some of the ways I imagine...I'm still away from my regular workspace a day or two, but will update soon!</p>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Jul 16, 2011 at 8:08 AM, Samuel Rose <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:samuel.rose@gmail.com" target="_blank">samuel.rose@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
<div>
<div>On Fri, Jul 15, 2011 at 1:43 AM, Michel Bauwens <<a href="mailto:michelsub2004@gmail.com" target="_blank">michelsub2004@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
><br>
> copied to the list for any extra discussants ...<br>
><br>
> On Fri, Jul 15, 2011 at 12:37 PM, Benjamin Brownell <<a href="mailto:solaureum@gmail.com" target="_blank">solaureum@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>><br>
>> Yes, thank you Michel, I could use a bit more discussion on the side with this! I believe I have connected briefly with Nicholas (of Permaculture.coop yes?) and mean to indicate his projects in the piece. Let me keep fitting in some specific ideas/applications/examples to give a more complete picture in a couple of days...any thoughts welcome although I am in poor contact for the weekend ahead mostly.<br>
>> Sam, Steve, Nick hello--I haven't got much personal context to share as introduction at the moment ('profile') which is maybe why I'm thinking so hard about cultural reconfig towards more amenable circumstance...but wide backgrounding in media, community, design, science, spirit, sport; and speculation :) You might intuit some things from my twitte stream at v17us though.<br>
>> Happy to expand in chat or do a little co-writing/drawing with anyone interested! Pac Time, US skype:sola2b<br>
>><br>
<br>
<br>
</div></div>In my humble opinion, if you are truly interested in Permaculture<br>
approaches, the first best group to connect with is<br>
<a href="http://www.landinstitute.org/" target="_blank">http://www.landinstitute.org/</a><br>
<br>
If you are interested in building community based agricultural<br>
enterprises around permaculture, that can work now in the existing<br>
ecology, check <a href="http://www.organicvalley.coop/" target="_blank">http://www.organicvalley.coop/</a><div><br>
<div><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
>> On Thu, Jul 14, 2011 at 9:56 PM, Michel Bauwens <<a href="mailto:michelsub2004@gmail.com" target="_blank">michelsub2004@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>>><br>
>>> hi Benjamin,<br>
>>><br>
>>> this promises to be very interesting,<br>
>>><br>
>>> I think they are at least some people that share your concerns of marrying eco-agriculture, with p2p social systems, and that can scale through open design cooperation ...<br>
>>><br>
>>> I hope you don't mind I put some people in cc that have been active in the field,<br>
>>><br>
>>> Michel<br>
>>><br>
>>> On Fri, Jul 15, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Benjamin Brownell <<a href="mailto:solaureum@gmail.com" target="_blank">solaureum@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Michel, thank you for the response--very fair points. I have allowed some time to continue processing these ideas (and implications/applications), and begun a more focused article suggesting opportunities for integration of the new peer IT capabilities with healthy surplus-oriented food production. A complicated subject that still ties into many others...but one I feel is not getting adequate attention as the real foundation (and weakpoint) of transition to stable social systems. Anyhow, I'm still pulling things together, but if you'd like to look at some starter paragraphs and a diagram to see if it may be more on track for publication, here they are:<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Sufficiency Alert<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Please let�s come to the table. Subsistence is basic. Stable primary production of safe complete foods is severely lagging in the larger play for a peer-oriented economy at present, and this �pinch point� is a clear target of exploitation and mismanagement by new and old malignant control structures. Agricultural land is bubbling on international markets now; water, genomic and sundry ecocidal shenanigans are spreading. Demand for food is non-negotiable, and trumps all kinds of ethical, democratic, conscientious preference: �without viable alternatives in place, industrial agri-facture is more omnipotent than oil.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Models for sustainable transition bifurcate around the challenge of current centralizations in society, advocating towards equally fanciful (in scaling) extremum of dark/bright green, where food is either radically re-localized and re-personalized (think homestead + barter), or production is further concentrated in efficient enclosed modular sun-fueled terrariums, perhaps as a sort of next-gen municipal service. Both routes are fundamentally challenged by under-acknowledged economic realities, and the grand chaordic system that is human culture.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> What kind of realistic middle road could we open up? I want to sketch a program for rapidly scaling polyvictual production centers within current land use/tenure and market regulations, as an agile catalyst of higher-order peer economics for resilient diversity. Permaculture is an excellent application framework, tried and true (and intentionally evolving) over 30 years in a range of circumstance. But as founder Bill Mollison has noted, it�s intrinsic sufficiency is paradoxically dampening to economic activity and integration with larger systematics. It is a salubrious containerized steady state, rather in line with �dark green� outlook, above.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Permaculture, transition, global/eco-villaging, human-scale development, are all sound models that hold up well in practice. They are scalable, but they�re not meant to scale--it is not a built-in property, they are cultural introverts. As opt-in (/out) ethical leisure-fests, they are in fact self-marginalizing and proto-apocalyptic from the median standpoint. Culture is a competitive field, where presently the old rules are perceptibly moribund. This is an immense opportunity to creatively expand play. But how to build bridges and hold hands with a vastly inertial society, and truly lead forward? There has got to be a rich and accessible surplus from the new territory, in conventional terms, and a reciprocal value/appreciation towards the old. We need liquid capital, and a dummified ROI!<br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
</div></div><div><div>>>>> On Sun, Jul 3, 2011 at 12:16 AM, Michel Bauwens <<a href="mailto:michelsub2004@gmail.com" target="_blank">michelsub2004@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>> hi Ben,<br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>> I"m generally an easy editor as long as the piece is readable, which your piece is,<br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>> however, if there is a main thesis, I feel it is a bit to elliptically described, so perhaps somewhere, perhaps as an intro paragraph, you should make sure that your main point is summarized; I'd also like to know as reader, what new things this new wave of platforms is bringing to the table that wasn't there before?<br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>> I think it should have a more catchy title as well,<br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>> and finally, that last word, is that on purpose, or a type: revaluolation!<br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>> On Sun, Jul 3, 2011 at 8:24 AM, Benjamin Brownell <<a href="mailto:solaureum@gmail.com" target="_blank">solaureum@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>>>>>><br>
>>>>>> Curious if you have looked at this yet? I can understand if it is not solid enough for Foundation blog, or even for easy feedback...but let me know if you have some idea to proceed. I will keep exploring directions to bridge collectivism into the 'ordinary' - obese societal production infrastructures...and underlying values.<br>
>>>>>><br>
>>>>>>> Hi Michel, I've collected some thoughts in a doc here, if you want to take a look:<br>
>>>>>>> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/10BgjvyNuie_1oMtkb4Li9ZVzAUSei_1uwivvzkz15fU/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=COfC6ZMG" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/document/d/10BgjvyNuie_1oMtkb4Li9ZVzAUSei_1uwivvzkz15fU/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=COfC6ZMG</a><br>
>>>>>>> It's kind of far reaching and preachy, I couldn't help...but if there are just a couple parts you would prefer to get more detail on, and leave the rest for me to put elsewhere, let me know--no problem!<br>
>>>>>>> I hope it can lead to a bit more discussion, and then some wiki editing, and even solid tests and steps..<br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>> --<br>
>>>>> P2P Foundation: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.net</a>� - <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://blog.p2pfoundation.net</a><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>> Connect: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.ning.com" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.ning.com</a>; Discuss: <a href="http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation" target="_blank">http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation</a><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>> Updates: <a href="http://del.icio.us/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://del.icio.us/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://twitter.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens</a><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> --<br>
>>> P2P Foundation: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.net</a>� - <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://blog.p2pfoundation.net</a><br>
>>><br>
>>> Connect: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.ning.com" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.ning.com</a>; Discuss: <a href="http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation" target="_blank">http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation</a><br>
>>><br>
>>> Updates: <a href="http://del.icio.us/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://del.icio.us/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://twitter.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens</a><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> --<br>
> P2P Foundation: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.net</a>� - <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://blog.p2pfoundation.net</a><br>
><br>
> Connect: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.ning.com" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.ning.com</a>; Discuss: <a href="http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation" target="_blank">http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation</a><br>
><br>
> Updates: <a href="http://del.icio.us/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://del.icio.us/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://twitter.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens</a><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</div></div>--<br>
--<br>
Sam Rose<br>
Hollymead Capital Partners, LLC<br>
Cel: <a href="tel:%2B1-%28517%29-974-6451" value="+15179746451" target="_blank">+1-(517)-974-6451</a><br>
email: <a href="mailto:samuel.rose@gmail.com" target="_blank">samuel.rose@gmail.com</a><br>
<a href="http://hollymeadcapital.com" target="_blank">http://hollymeadcapital.com</a><br>
<a href="http://p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.net</a><br>
<a href="http://futureforwardinstitute.com" target="_blank">http://futureforwardinstitute.com</a><br>
<a href="http://socialmediaclassroom.com" target="_blank">http://socialmediaclassroom.com</a><br>
<br>
"The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human<br>
ambition." - Carl Sagan<br>
</blockquote></div><br>
<br></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>
P2P Foundation - Mailing list<br>
<a href="http://www.p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://www.p2pfoundation.net</a><br>
<a href="https://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation" target="_blank">https://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation</a><br>
<br></blockquote></div><font color="#888888"><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Devin Balkind<br>Director, Sarapis Foundation<div><a href="mailto:devin@sarapisfoundation.org" target="_blank">devin@sarapisfoundation.org</a><br>
@devinbalkind</div><br>
</font></blockquote></div><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Devin Balkind<br>Director, Sarapis Foundation<div><a href="mailto:devin@sarapisfoundation.org" target="_blank">devin@sarapisfoundation.org</a><br>@devinbalkind</div>
<br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br>