Re: <nettime> The Return of DRM

[Morlock Elloi <morlockelloi@yahoo.com>]

The overlooked issue is that understanding is unavoidable ingredient
of freedom, so if the technology is involved, then understanding of
the technology is essential for maintaining one's freedom. This is why
technology is so appealing instrument of the centralized power - very
few can get it. Piling engineers works better than piling firearms.

This understanding is not easily transferable, it must be acquired.
Zillions of 'tards rubbing their iphones or "socializing" via http are
not informed technology users - they are products tethered to their
manufacturers via complicated chains of deceptions.

Comparing this with early Internet is pointless - those were highly
educated, creative and intelligent early adopters, and today those
same people have all the privacy and freedom they want. The problem
is that the unwashed came and populated the space. No amount of
activism will help them, because they cannot (afford to) understand
the technology, and you cannot help the illiterates.

The truth is that the high tech finally provided true Darwinian
mechanism to separate haves and have nots, unlike anything in the
recent history; for the first time the lack of technological skills
and education (or membership in the ruling class, but that doesn't
concern anyone here on nettime) unconditionally makes one a slave.
It's a long way from the time when one had to be just literate - today
you need to know how not to leave unencrypted footsteps in your daily
routine, who facebook sells your data to and how will that affect you
and your town, and where to find quality content bits to keep your
brain functional.

The rest are fucked.

I don't see this changing any time soon, especially as most members of
this elite like the benefits.





      


#  distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission
#  <nettime>  is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
#  more info: http://mail.kein.org/mailman/listinfo/nettime-l
#  archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nettime@kein.org