[iDC] The Ethics of Participation

[R Labossiere]

As an artist who has done a little work that involves participation, I like 
this thread alot. As a publisher, I'd be interested in hearing from any of 
you who might be working toward publication on this topic.

A couple of random comments:

> ... When John says that YouTube or MySpace provides a distribution 
> mechanism that doesn't expropriate one's creations, I think he is right, 
> for now.

Me too. MySpace is almost over and YouTube will be soon enough. People will 
move where originality and authenticity lies. Free, not free, too few 
profit, too many don't, are not what matters. I find it almost unbearable 
how these discussions arise over "value", as if who's got what matters a 
whit.

It is the malaise (and poverty) of capitalism that debate returns 
(apparently eternally) to the value proposition... we think people work for 
money and the price of things is based on utility or demand, but people 
actually work because they want and need to be productive and price is the 
language of one particular (albeit currently dominant) form of symbolic 
exchange. Fortunately or unfortunately, knowing this doesn't change 
anything.

And, as a dog owner, I find this kind of argument very naive:
> Everyone
> was still trying to scramble to the top of the dog pile, to wear red and 
> velvet
> and ermine.  In fact, that's what drives our materialistic, heirarchical 
> society
> today.

Belive me, the dog pile is a myth. The world of dogs, like the world of 
people, is considerably more subtle and interesting, which is why they 
(dogs) and we don't simply kill each other... if we did we'd end up finding 
there was no top at the top. Just remember, before making a judgment, you 
have to sniff both ends ;)

> So one question might be, Is an ethics
> possible without reciprocity?
>> Fortunately Yes, it is the stoical attitude.

Might it be that ethics is actually not possible unless it is without 
reciprocity, for what can be contingent about ethics?... like,  "I'll be 
commited to this, but only if you..." that's not ethics, that's bargaining.

R

--

Robert Labossiere
Managing Editor, YYZBOOKS
http://www.yyzartistsoutlet.org
http://www.robertlabossiere.com, sloganeer project
http://www.klooj.net/art/pianodrop/pianodrop.html, project for art's 
birthday, last year