[Nettime-bold] Al Gore and the Internet discussion

[molly hankwitz <mollybh@pop.netspace.net.au>]

Roberto, I'm right in there with you. We are seduced to
do more activities on the Net and there seems to be less and
less public space for fighing for the public sphere. I think
this is why we also search for independent content on the Net
and why net.time is good, because it gives us that space.
if only we can keep open public discourse on the Net - I think
this is really key because certainly cities as "real" space are
closing down a lot of public space in favor of "controlled" even
privately owned or maintained parks, recreation, streets, etc.
(both american as well as australian space)

i think we will experience ongoing turbulence because its
really private and public that are conceptually restructured now
under the very dominant capitalism we are expereincing. everyday
life is being restructured in its updraft i'm afraid. what is started
everyday to fight for public freedom builds one little piece of
turf for the future. hopefully all the bits of turf will hold out together.

it's a bit scary. increased privatization does just that.

world-weary
m





From: Roberto Verzola <rverzola@phil.gn.apc.org>
Date: 06 Oct 00  16:31:31
Subject: Re: <nettime> Al Gore and the Internet
To: nettime-l@bbs.thing.net
Sender: nettime-l-request@bbs.thing.net
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: Roberto Verzola <rverzola@phil.gn.apc.org>

 > From my perspective, civil society isn't
 >being seduced, it is being systematically
 >excluded!  Here's a recent article I wrote
 >on this topic.

You are referring to decision-making on Internet matters. Since much
of the Internet infrastructure is now private property, why would you
be surprised if its decision-making, like any business firm, excludes
the public at large?

I was referring to our *life* - how we talk to each other, how we
teach the young, how we buy our needs, how we entertain ourselves,
even how we protest: we are being seduced to conduct more and more of
it on the Internet. Away from public spaces where we have the
strongest grounds to fight for our access rights, towards private
spaces where property rights can more easily constrain us.

Roberto Verzola



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