<nettime> have you also missed the Internet-Free Day?

["geert lovink" <geert@xs4all.nl>]

      http://www.globalideasbank.org/internet-free-day/html/index.html

      (thanx to Mieke Gerritzen for fwd.)

      The Global Ideas Bank, the primary website for new ideas to improve
society (what we call social inventions), is promoting Sunday January 25th
2004 as the fourth International Internet-Free Day - a day for doing and
being out in the real world.

      "It makes a lot of sense to use the web to tempt people away from
the web", say the Internet-Free Day crew, "It's a matter of reclaiming the
web, using it for a different message, returning to its origins. The
Internet did not start off as a vehicle for social isolation and damaged
eyesight. That is what big business has done with it. It began as a medium
for communication between researchers, a quick and simple way of
exchanging information."

      "But it's so easy nowadays to get addicted to a half life in a
virtual world, and to lose touch with your family, friends and neighbours.
Yet we're creatures evolved from a tribal past and an annual Internet-Free
Day on the fourth Sunday in January is a recognition of our needs for
contacts out in the real world. Email and the Internet are just not
enough."

      Get off your pad, dump your mouse and your electronic attachments
for the day: the real world is open all day every day and would welcome a
visit. It also offers perspective, insight and the chance to feel human
again. Internet-Free day demands you go cold turkey with the best of them
and create a storm of activity and a real life - one thing that might be
worth saving.



So what will the Internet-Free Day crew be doing? Here are some of our
ideas ... See the details of last year's London event: a free tour of
London sights, sounds, exhibitions and events in the real world. Or try:

(1) A Dice Sunday, as in a watered-down version of Luke Reinhart's Diceman
novel. You write down half a dozen unusual or creative or challenging real
world things your small group could do on the day, number these options
from 1 to 6, then throw the dice, accepting a commitment to do whichever
option the dice chooses.

(2) If that sounds too risky for you, there are countless other
opportunities in YOUR home town today; or come up with your own: there are
many real world activities that small groups can organise, ranging from
country walks and dancing to writing groups and discussion salons - ie any
group activity that involves more than just passively consuming, watching
or listening.

By all means use e-mail and the Internet in advance to arrange real world
participatory events for January 25th 2004, but then turn off the computer
for 24 hours.

Afterwards, please send us an email describing how the day went for you -
such stories will be an encouragement for Internet Free Day participants
in future years.

World Internet-Free Day will happen every year on the last Sunday in
January.





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