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cc-eyebeam - Re: [cc-eyebeam] Quote from MLK Jr.

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Subject: Creative Commons-Eyebeam Forum 2003 November 12-19

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  • From: Joseph Pietro Riolo <riolo AT voicenet.com>
  • To: cc-eyebeam AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Cc:
  • Subject: Re: [cc-eyebeam] Quote from MLK Jr.
  • Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 09:26:30 -0500 (EST)



On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 Joline_Blais AT umit.maine.edu wrote:
>
> What is most revolutionary about these
> technologies is their ability to:

As Neil Postman said in his book, _Technopoly: The
Surrender of Culture to Technology_, each technology
comes with its own limitations and problems.

As an example:

> 1)organize people into communities that work,
> in the sense of taking action (rtmark
> projects, Gallery of CSS descramblers,
> Phillipine text-messagers forcing
> President Estrada to step down).

Although the technology allow people to form an organization,
the same technology eliminates the need for people to meet
face-to-face. Is this a good illustration of person-oriented
society?

> Most overlooked is the power that ordinary
> citizens might have if they were able to
> organize around issues of interest to them.
> When wikis, blogs, e-mail, text messaging,
> and cell phones are used by groups of people
> with a single focus, we change a passive
> consumer-driven society into an active
> participant-engaged society.

That is great but this also means that a majority
can override the wishes of minority. Technology
can be both exciting and scary, depending on how
you use it.

> This will not happen automatically: it is not
> a given in the technology. Just as creating a
> common space for creativity will require an
> assault on the current legal system that
> protects corporate profitmaking more than
> artist enterprise, so will the potential
> powers of ordinary citizen only be realized
> if we can tell the differnce between
> "interactivity" and "real reciprocity".

Recall that the same legal system also protect
artist enterprise. It is the artists' choice
on what they want to do with their creative
works. If they want to work for a corporation,
that is their business. If they want to transfer
their copyrights to a corporation, that is their
business. If they want to be free-lance or
set up their own business, that is their
business. If they don't want to share their
works with others, that is their choice.

> Addressing copyright issues is one way to
> begin this shift. When ordinary citizens
> regain control of a cultural commons, they
> will have more power to shape their desires,
> dreams, aspirations, as well as addressing
> their failures and shortcomings.

When you say "ordinary citizens", are you talking
about artists or users?


Joseph Pietro Riolo
<riolo AT voicenet.com>

Public domain notice: I put all of my expressions in this
post in the public domain.





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