Hi Meredith and Annie I think you are spot on Meredith. And yes Annie, I agree about Kei's article. It really set out all the reasons there are to be hopeful about cooperative work in the blockchain space :)
Happy new tingalings to you and everyone. x Ruth On Wed, Dec 29, 2021 at 7:20 PM Meredith Finkelstein via NetBehaviour < netbehaviour@lists.netbehaviour.org> wrote: > In light of Dawn of Everything - of which I am mixed although I Graeber's > Debt did change my life > I am reminded to this quote in the last chapter "For most of history... > the zone of ritual play constituted both a scientific laboratory and, for > any given society, a repertory of knowledge and techniques which might or > might not be applied to pragmatic problems." > > So in light of this SI and these blockchain projects are play spaces for > us to engage in a political imagining > > Love the DAO piece > > M > > On Wed, Dec 29, 2021 at 5:41 AM Ruth Catlow via NetBehaviour < > netbehaviour@lists.netbehaviour.org> wrote: > >> Dear Eryk, >> >> Thanks so much for your long and super-helpful response. >> >> Some fragmented thoughts... >> >> I LOLled at my discovery of the hidden pages ; ) Sorry about that. It >> seems that my time in the "crypto tent" (as you put it) has conditioned me >> to sniff out questions of funding and governance in blockchain related art >> projects. I certainly didn't read the project as ironic - just those pages >> that I shouldn't have seen. It's frustrating how "project-based" funding >> can constrain the potentiality of our work as artists and researchers >> working in arts institutions and universities. I hope you find a way to dig >> in further to the Potlatch connection. I only recently made this connection >> myself, reading Graeber and Wengrow's wonderful *The Dawn of Everything.* >> >> I enjoyed and agreed with the resonances you find in cryptoland and have >> also been reflecting on the limits of the Situationist project. Not just on >> the political values of SI, but also on the limits of their tactical >> application of rhetoric in novel contexts. It feels like on Twitter >> everyone is a Situationist, resulting in an exhausting rinsing of meaning >> from the web through constant decontextualisation. >> >> Kei Kreutler just put out this reflection on the year in which DAOs have >> really started to find their form. I found it incredibly useful. >> https://gnosisguild.mirror.xyz/l3pGN7TOUgPkzeurDlllIaAocaVqQuZkN98-BLAhKRc >> She says "Cultural norms, even more so than technical capabilities, >> influence our sphere of action. That is, while technical capabilities play >> a role in determining the possible, cultural norms curtail it more than we >> usually think." Which is why I am so excited by the luttecoin video - it >> puts an image of new cultural norms on a wide horizon. I just find I want >> to be able to see and feel more of the detail ;) >> >> Warmly >> Ruth >> >> >> >> >> On Wed, Dec 22, 2021 at 4:02 PM Eryk Salvaggio <eryk.salvag...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >>> Thank you for the critique Ruth! I agree with much, and what I write >>> here is just my take. Şerife has also engaged this and may have more to say. >>> >>> But first, a major clarification: the “invest” page isn’t meant to be >>> accessible, and I’m not sure how you found it — it was a placeholder for >>> extending some ideas that we didn’t pursue, and I removed links / the idea >>> precisely for the reasons you mentioned. >>> >>> We have ideas on the solidarity aim, but they are fuzzy. For one, >>> there’s a tremendous overlap between the “crypto scene” of retail investors >>> and the anti-capitalist, anti-work movement (at least in the US). That is, >>> both have given up on traditional institutions and pathways to economic >>> security. Dogecoin investors — and the language of “Fomo” — are actually >>> quite sympathetic to me for this reason. They’re betting that this joke is >>> just as good as any other. The issue is that it’s a bit nihilistic, stuck >>> in the lane of throwing coins in fountains and making a wish. Right now, >>> this project is meant to say “you can’t just make a wish” but we’re at an >>> end there because of various boring things like deadlines and time >>> constraints. I think if there are revisions / expansions of the work, >>> you’ll we’re also pointed in your direction. >>> >>> As an explanation of why it is what it is now, it’s because of the >>> nature of the research residency and the initial thesis: model situationist >>> ideals of governance into a digital system. I found very little evidence >>> that the situationists were actually very good at community organization, >>> or if they were, they articulated very few principles around it. They were >>> idea distributors, very much tapped into the idea of propaganda and counter >>> propaganda, and hoped for these twists to take a life of their own. >>> >>> What you’re arguing for is something I’m thinking about too, but in >>> terms of what I’ve found (and I’m not an expert) it’s a very necessary >>> evolution on the situationist approach and doesn’t reflect actual >>> situationist practice as written. Situationist practice as written had >>> elements that were quite libertarian and problematic. I would like to see >>> something beyond the Situationist model, or, more accurately, go back to >>> that model’s foundations. >>> >>> In the white paper, we discuss how Situationists had essentially >>> appropriated Potlatch from Indigenous Americans, and used it as the basis >>> for much of their systems of governance. That was reported to them through >>> the writings of Franz Boss, which were also somewhat distorted through an >>> anti-capitalist lens (rather than “seeing what is.”) >>> >>> I’m particularly interested in starting from that as a source, rather >>> than following the path set by SI’s adoption of it. But that is dense >>> terrain requiring careful navigation, and it would be a disservice for two >>> folks with an artist’s residency to try to tackle it in a few months. As a >>> result, we stop at the hand off, so to speak. If we had another year, you >>> might see this more developed, and it continues to develop (though perhaps >>> not under this particular framework). >>> >>> The hope of the project in the scope we could tackle was to reveal the >>> mistake of economic liberation as personal liberation, to show that the >>> discontent with the system that drives speculative retail investment can be >>> leveraged as a tool for something more radical, and make other >>> possibilities more visible. >>> >>> (The residue of empty language you unfortunately encountered was part of >>> that: present the slogan, then unpack it. The simple headlines you see on >>> the debris pages doesn’t do the approach much justice, and it’s unfortunate >>> that they are still discoverable). >>> >>> So yes, it’s a statement of purpose, rather than an action of purpose, >>> that said, I don’t think the intention of the work is “ironic,” though you >>> aren’t alone in telling me that it is. I actually think it’s quite sincere >>> (perhaps the pages I’ve inadvertently left up are tainting the work, I’m >>> not sure!). I also suspect that you and quite a few other folks are a few >>> steps ahead of the pivot that this project is trying to make, which is a >>> pivot of frame and intent in how we approach technology. I think that pivot >>> is obvious to you and others in the furtherfield crypto tent, especially, >>> but that the message bears some repeating and clarification. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On 22 Dec 2021, at 9:56 am, Ruth Catlow <ruthcat...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> >>> The Excavations project looks delicious! >>> >>> And the Luttecoin video is sooo good! Evocative, stirring and >>> beautifully produced. >>> >>> The project does give me a powerful pang though as I would love to see >>> a Situationist critique of the crypto scene that actually detourned the >>> scene and I'm not sure this is there yet. >>> >>> Situationism rejected all art that separated itself from politics. I >>> feel this is still somewhat distant from the political machinery of crypto. >>> >>> I wish it were more actionable. By which I mean I wish it was showing me >>> how an engagement, hack or critique of the crypto-scene can build >>> solidarity to bring on the actual "bricking". I want to be able to see the >>> mechanism by which we will gather around the provocation and bring it >>> about. Otherwise, it's somehow safe, in a separate domain. >>> >>> The moment when I felt this strongest was on the governance page >>> https://www.luttecoin.com/governance which led me to the "invest" page >>> both of which used the same hollowed-out language found in generic crypto >>> and NGO messaging. "Freedom to Dream" and "Make a Difference". I was so >>> curious to see how you were going to dig into the economic or governance >>> propositions being developed across the political spectrum in the >>> crypto-scene. But it doesn't really go beyond irony. >>> >>> Situationism was about praxis, about actually changing culture. >>> I can't wait for this to happen with the Situationist Blockchain >>> Foundation - is this what you hope for Eryk? Can you share any more about >>> how it will be funded and governed? >>> >>> So, to shill my own coin (as they say;)... I'd love it if you and other >>> NBers wanted to join us for this conference I'm co-curating with Penny >>> Rafferty at HDK in Munich in January. It's called *Radical Friends- the >>> DAO Summit for Decentralisation of Power and Resources in the Artworld* >>> https://hausderkunst.de/en/events/radical-friends-dao-summit There IS a >>> lot more interesting and critical work and play developing now and it would >>> be great to build more connections and solidarity. >>> >>> Thanks for sharing Eryk! >>> >>> Warmly >>> Ruth >>> >>> >>> >>> On Wed, 22 Dec 2021, 01:02 Mez Breeze via NetBehaviour, < >>> netbehaviour@lists.netbehaviour.org> wrote: >>> >>>> ...*head nods in approval*... >>>> >>>> On Thu, Dec 16, 2021 at 4:09 PM Eryk Salvaggio via NetBehaviour < >>>> netbehaviour@lists.netbehaviour.org> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi all, >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Wanted to share a new piece of work created for an art & research >>>>> residency, “Excavations: Governance Archeology for the Future of the >>>>> Internet,” created by UCBoulder and King’s College, London: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> https://excavations.digital/ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> The goal was to research pre-digital forms of governance and imagine >>>>> adapting them to contemporary online governance structures. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Our proposal was to study the Situationist International and attempt >>>>> to reconcile the anarchic stance with protocols and ideologies around >>>>> cryptocurrencies. The result is The Situationist Blockchain, or LutteCoin: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> http://LutteCoin.com >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ++++ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> From the exhibition website: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ++++ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> We propose a decentralized peer-to-peer Situationist blockchain. The >>>>> Situationist International was a French anarchist movement inspired by >>>>> surrealism, Dada, and libertarian Marxism. They proposed that we navigate >>>>> the world through a "mystifying illusion" of spectacles present in >>>>> advertising, films -- even vacations and leisure -- that consolidates >>>>> control in the name of economic productivity. This is true on its face: we >>>>> spend hours of "free" time on social networks, for example, turning that >>>>> leisure into data which is collected and sold by those providing us with >>>>> "leisure." This is, fundamentally, an employee relationship being given >>>>> freely to corporations. UX interfaces and digital interactions extend the >>>>> spectacle, rewarding users with illusions in exchange for distracting them >>>>> from the ways they wish to actually live. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Abandoning the spectacle of economic productivity, our “Proof of >>>>> Non-Work Consensus Protocol” turns devices into an otherwise useless >>>>> object, or “brick.” Users, liberated from the spectacle of electronic >>>>> interfaces, pursue other dreams. Meanwhile, the devices mine and create >>>>> cryptocurrencies only to be immediately burned. The devices are >>>>> essentially >>>>> frozen and interfaces made inaccessible. The CPU power processes at full >>>>> capacity, and cannot be turned off. Eventually, they burn out, and with >>>>> it, >>>>> so does any currency it has produced. This perfects the process of >>>>> automating human leisure, mining and destroying wealth in an endless >>>>> parody >>>>> of economics. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ++++ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> There is also a write up of the research, included as a white paper >>>>> for the “cryptocurrency” we’re pitching, which explores the relationship >>>>> we’ve identified between financialization, the seductive allure of >>>>> “liberatory” cryptocurrencies, and the spectacle of user interfaces under >>>>> surveillance capitalism: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ba1842a6b1371238ebc60/t/6196a151193b52305fabe677/1637261649657/LutteCoin.pdf >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> I welcome any feedback from the NetBehavior community on this project! >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> NetBehaviour mailing list >>>>> NetBehaviour@lists.netbehaviour.org >>>>> https://lists.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> | mezbreezedesign.com >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> NetBehaviour mailing list >>>> NetBehaviour@lists.netbehaviour.org >>>> https://lists.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour >>>> >>> >> >> -- >> Ruth Catlow >> she/her >> Co-founder & Artistic director of Furtherfield & DECAL Decentralised Arts >> Lab >> +44 (0) 77370 02879 >> >> *I will only agree to speak at events that are racially and gender >> balanced. >> >> **sending thanks >> <https://www.ovoenergy.com/ovo-newsroom/press-releases/2019/november/think-before-you-thank-if-every-brit-sent-one-less-thank-you-email-a-day-we-would-save-16433-tonnes-of-carbon-a-year-the-same-as-81152-flights-to-madrid.html> >> in >> advance >> >> *Furtherfield *disrupts and democratises art and technology through >> exhibitions, >> labs & debate, for deep exploration, open tools & free thinking. >> furtherfield.org <http://www.furtherfield.org/> >> >> *DECAL* Decentralised Arts Lab is an arts, blockchain & web 3.0 >> technologies research hub >> >> for fairer, more dynamic & connected cultural ecologies & economies now. >> >> https://decal.furtherfield.org/ <http://www.decal.is> >> >> Furtherfield is a Not-for-Profit Company Limited by Guarantee >> >> Registered in England and Wales under the Company No.7005205. >> >> Registered business address: Carbon Accountancy, 80-83 Long Lane, London, >> EC1A 9ET. >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> NetBehaviour mailing list >> NetBehaviour@lists.netbehaviour.org >> https://lists.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour >> > _______________________________________________ > NetBehaviour mailing list > NetBehaviour@lists.netbehaviour.org > https://lists.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour > -- Ruth Catlow she/her Co-founder & Artistic director of Furtherfield & DECAL Decentralised Arts Lab +44 (0) 77370 02879 *I will only agree to speak at events that are racially and gender balanced. **sending thanks <https://www.ovoenergy.com/ovo-newsroom/press-releases/2019/november/think-before-you-thank-if-every-brit-sent-one-less-thank-you-email-a-day-we-would-save-16433-tonnes-of-carbon-a-year-the-same-as-81152-flights-to-madrid.html> in advance *Furtherfield *disrupts and democratises art and technology through exhibitions, labs & debate, for deep exploration, open tools & free thinking. furtherfield.org <http://www.furtherfield.org/> *DECAL* Decentralised Arts Lab is an arts, blockchain & web 3.0 technologies research hub for fairer, more dynamic & connected cultural ecologies & economies now. https://decal.furtherfield.org/ <http://www.decal.is> Furtherfield is a Not-for-Profit Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England and Wales under the Company No.7005205. Registered business address: Carbon Accountancy, 80-83 Long Lane, London, EC1A 9ET.
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