[iDC] Introduction for Mobility Shifts

[Janet Hawtin]

Apologies if this is a bit tangential. =)

On Thu, Jun 23, 2011 at 8:56 PM, Michael Wesch <mike.wesch at gmail.com> wrote:

> http://visionsofstudents.org

How do you feel our society is placed to understand the ecology we live within?
It concerns me that while the more diffuse and participative character
of new media does offer
more opportunity for alternative voices this seems to result in an
increase of data about
self. This is probably a good step forward in a context where
economics and industry function
at a scale and level of abstraction which means that power and
resources do not move
in ways which are humanist or socially responsible, but which respond
narrowly to
the interests of those who have sufficient power.
However both the powerful and the social voices seem to be strongly subjective.

We live at a time when the biodiversity of the planet is threatened not just by
encroaching overpopulation but also by our engineering for subjective
interests without
a rigorous interest in ensuring that our ecologies are sustainable.

Manuel Castells talks about the power of and within networks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skcUYhRaEas&feature=related
I think he is right that these networks have effect on our ideas and
actions in their own right.

I think that it might be useful to differentiate between groups and
networks. (Nancy White)
If groups like companies, universities, any entity with a membrane of
inclusion/exclusion
are the means of organising they tend to identify value using the same
kinds of mechanics.

The tools/sites like wikipedia, twitter, youtube enable more diffuse inclusion.
I am not sure if this means we are able to think or act more
systemically, rather than subjectively,
to understand ecological systems as an integrated interdependent
complexity, to crowdsource knowledge and action.
If the thinking is still about owning, belonging, self v other then
the dialogue is not
structured for systemic thinking. If science is structured around
engineering species in the corporate interest
that investment is primarily looking at subjective values relevant to
that group.
I think that our society is at risk of being blind to the systems we depend on
because we can only see subjectively.

Does the new diffuse voice of a generation speaking through diffuse
networks offer
a better way to understand and manage our ecology or are these voices even more
subjective and mediated. In a kind of human only echo chamber? To have
a comprehensive
and constructive impact on systems like water, climate, ocean life,
forests, sustainable agriculture
we need to be able to tackle the way we use power in our networks. imho

Copyleft helps. Collaborative projects like wikipedia species help.
How can we make information more accessible which helps us to better
understand the interdependence of species and natural systems.
How do we reconnect science and industry to that kind of knowledge and ethic?
Perhaps there are many projects which are more open and structured
around the planet as a shared network.
I might just be a bit out of touch =)